...Chapters 11 & 13 Guided Reading Tentative Due date: 11/17/2015 Big Picture Questions (must be answered to receive full credit): To what extent did individualism, new religious sects, abolitionism, and women’s rights change American culture during the antebellum period (1820-1860)? Chapter 11: Religion and Reform 1800-1860 Individualism: The Ethic of the Middle Class Discuss the differing opinions on the lack of rigid class structures in America: Alexis de Tocqueville: Ralph Waldo Emerson: Transcendentalism: How did Second Great Awakening preachers like Finney adopt portion of Emerson’s philosophies regarding man? How did the main teachings of Transcendentalism differ from the teachings of most Protestant faiths of the time? Emerson’s Literary Influence (For each author describe their main literary focus and delineate between fiction or nonfiction) Henry David Thoreau: Margaret Fuller: Walt Whitman: Nathaniel Hawthorne: Herman Melville: Rural Communalism and Urban Popular Culture Utopias: Communalists: Shakers: marriage? Socialism: property ownership? Humphrey Noyes and Oneida: perfectionism: marriage? Joseph Smith: Mormonism: What was summary of Book of Mormon? How were Mormons accepted by those outside of their faith and what did this lead them to do? Brigham Young: Abolitionism -Skip (We will cover this in class) The Women’s Rights Movement Women became...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...Transcendentalism : Significant Authors and Works Transcendentalism was a physiological and literary movement that began in New England in the 1840's. Many highly regarded scholars at this time attended meetings in Boston to discuss and write about spiritual ideas ; They called themselves the Transcendentalists. They had very radical opinions and were nonconformists when it came to organized religion. Their goal was to share a personal sense of spirituality and to tell that everyone had a private relationship between themselves and the universe, better known as 'The Eternal One' theory. Many important authors gained fame form this movement, such as : Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman. Ralph Waldo Emerson is often regarded as the heart and soul of the Transcendentalism movement. He left Unitarian church ministry to focus more on physiological and spiritual writing. His first well known essay was "Nature" ; It gave insight to Emerson's view of the natural world, and in it he said that through exploring nature, man would find out more about himself. He also believed it was fundamental that man take a break from the distractions in society and get lost in ones thoughts about the natural world. “The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship”. This direct quote from "Nature" embodies the principles of the transcendentalist movement by restating their belief on separation from the church to build a better 'Eternal Self' with the...
Words: 691 - Pages: 3
...The American Renaissance period, circa 1876-1917, heralded a new sense of nationalism with a pride linking to a spirit akin to Greek democracy, the rule of Roman law, and a cultural and educational reform movement often referred to as Renaissance humanism. This American nationalism focused on the expression of modernism, technology, and academic classicism. Renaissance technological advancements include wire cables supporting the Brooklyn Bridge in the State of New York, along with cultural advancements found in the Prairie School houses, Beaux-Arts Institute of Design in architecture and sculpture. The political heir of American nationalism evolved with the Gilded Age and New Imperialism school of thought. The American Renaissance produced major influential literary works from some of the most brilliant minds in U.S. history, including Ralph Waldo Emerson's the "Representative Man (1850)", Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlett Letter (1850)" and "The House of Seven Gables (1851)," Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick," Henry David Thoreau's "Walden (1854)," and Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass (1855)." American Renaissance Literary Masterpieces The American Renaissance, a literary and cultural period circa extending from 1820 to the mid-1860s, gained inspiration from the unresolved issues of the American Revolution. The American Renaissance literary style was coined as "Romanticism," an international philosophical movement that redefined the perceptions of Western cultures, and...
Words: 1178 - Pages: 5
...According to Frederick I. Carpenter in his essay, "The Philosophical Joads," Steinbeck's social thought seems to be shaped by three distinct strands of nineteenth century American philosophy: the Emersonian concept of the Oversoul, the idea of a humanism expressed by the love of all persons and the embracing of mass democracy found in the works of Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg, and the pragmatism of Henry James. The Transcendental concept of the Oversoul is expressed in the earthy folk language of Jim Casy as the belief that all human's souls are really just part of one big soul. Ralph Waldo Emerson, the most well known proponent of transcendentalism, defined the Oversoul as the universal mind or spirit that animates, motivates, and is the...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...Jack Sandomierski Eng 2 Mr.kereny 9 December 2014 Transcendentalists table I became a transparent eyeball I am nothing I see all the currents of the universal being circulate through me I am a parcel of god (nature 391) Emerson believes that individuals in nature share a common purpose with god ,i.e,the”over-soul” In the woods we return to reasons and faith(nature 390) When the individual is removed from the stresses of everyday life ,he is able to focuses on true understanding of himself There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the convection envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide’ (from self-reliance 393) Emerson means that if you envy someone or something you are being “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds (from self-reliance 394) Don’t let The little things bother you in life If we do not get out sleepers and forge rails and devote days and nights to the work but go to tinkering upon our lives to improve them who will build the railroads (From Walden’411) I think thoreau was trying to say Don’t let life pass you by go out and live the way you choose I think the richest vein is somewhere hereabouts so by the dividing rod and thin rising vapors I judge and here I will begin to mine (From Walden’411) I think thoreau was trying to say Don’t trust what you hear go with your gut That government is best witch governs the least ( from civil disobedience 416) I think thoreau was trying to say a minimal government...
Words: 1120 - Pages: 5
...David Deaton Mr. Huitt American Lit and Comp 24 January 2014 Dickinson versus Whitman Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson's works have numerous differences. Compared to Dickinson's short and seemingly simple poems, Whitman's are long and often complex. Yet both twentieth century writers share several similarities when scrutinized thoroughly. Though their approaches differ, they often deal with the same themes, and both pioneered their own unique style of writing. Using death as a theme is probably the strongest connection that Whitman and Dickinson share. Whitman's view on death is reflective of his belief in Transcendentalism. In "Song of Myself", Whitman uses the scientific principle of the conservation of energy to assert that there is life after death, because energy cannot be destroyed; only transformed. In stanza six, he writes "And what do you think has become of the women and children?/ They are alive and well somewhere,/ The smallest sprouts shows there is really no death" (Whitman 124-126). Whitman contends that life remains long after death, Dickinson's writings on death are more complex and contradictory. She personifies death, generally seeing as a lord or as a compelling lover. In one of her more popular poems, "Because I could not stop for Death", death is like a kindly courter. He picks her up in a "Carriage held but just for Ourselves-/ And Immortality" (Dickinson 3-4). Many of her other poems are about the moment of death, and what happens when the living...
Words: 566 - Pages: 3
...Natural Connections Heather Conway ENG/106 January 20, 2014 Nikki Moorman Natural Connections Early works of literature show many concepts of emotion from anger and wrath, to love and devotion. In these works, it is sometimes not easy to find what the author is tying say or convey when it comes to his or her work. As a reader, it can be difficult to comb through what the author is trying to establish in their work, whether it be love, hate, envy, or a personal struggle for the intended characters. In some of the more modern works, it is apparent that romantic emotion is a constant and can easily be discerned from each individual piece. In John Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale”, it is automatically assumed that the narrator is speaking of something that is loved. In this case, it appears as if the narrator is speaking of a bird, but it can also be said that he is speaking about a love, or lover, that he had once and then lost. In the first stanza, the first line, it suggests that he is missing a piece of himself, and his ‘heart aches’. He later describes this ache as the complete opposite of what it is to be in the ‘singest of summer in full-throated ease.’ (pg. 2160, 10) As the poem continues, Keats continues to use descriptions of nature and other things, showing a true connection there between the way the narrator feels and how it compares to certain aspects of nature and natural things. In the second stanza, the narrator continues to describe his heart break, and the...
Words: 1066 - Pages: 5
...Essays Essays Part II. 2, 2.] Part II. 2, 2.] Essays The Project Gutenberg EBook of Essays, by Ralph Waldo Emerson This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Essays Author: Ralph Waldo Emerson Editor: Edna H. L. Turpin Release Date: September 4, 2005 [EBook #16643] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ESSAYS *** 1 Essays Produced by Curtis A. Weyant , Sankar Viswanathan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net ESSAYS BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON Merrill's English Texts SELECTED AND EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, BY EDNA H.L. TURPIN, AUTHOR OF "STORIES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY," "CLASSIC FABLES," "FAMOUS PAINTERS," ETC. NEW YORK CHARLES E. MERRILL CO. 1907 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION LIFE OF EMERSON CRITICAL OPINIONS CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL WORKS THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR COMPENSATION SELF RELIANCE FRIENDSHIP HEROISM MANNERS GIFTS NATURE SHAKESPEARE; OR, THE POET PRUDENCE CIRCLES NOTES PUBLISHERS' NOTE Merrill's English Texts 2 Essays 3 This series of books will include in complete editions those masterpieces of English Literature that are best adapted for the use of schools and colleges. The editors of the several volumes will...
Words: 97797 - Pages: 392
...independence. We followed what we believed was right and started a revolution with it. Romantic writing was started when there was this shift from faith in reason to faith in feelings, senses, and imagination. It was about being free and trusting your instinct. Like in Moulin Rouge, the main character wanted to be a writer so he followed his gut, moved to France, and believed in love to inspire his righting. Evidence of Romantic writing characteristics in the quote would be that you follow your gut and do what you have faith in as right. The law was reason. Following what you believed as right instead was the shift. Transcendental writing was belief in nature, less need for objects, more focus on the inner self, and self-reliance. Transcendentalism was the belief that knowledge could be derived not just trust through the senses, but through intuition and contemplation of the internal spirit. Transcendentalists professed skepticism of all established religions, believing that Divinity resided in the individual. The evidence of Transcendental writing in the quote would be that is was relying on your own knowledge of right and wrong to guide you instead of the law. You were also not relying on your religion to tell you what is right and wrong. In modern times, Christians...
Words: 505 - Pages: 3
...Jonathan Veldhuyzen Professor Matthew Towles English 201-002 11/21/2014 Ralph Waldo Emerson: His own God and Transcendentalist Worldview “The foregoing generations beheld God and nature face to face; we, though their own eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe? Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insights and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us,” (940, 941) were the words written by Emerson in the introduction of his renown work “Nature” as he espoused that men should not necessarily believe in a God through ideals seen in the Bible and evidenced in nature, but rather use their own logic through poetry and philosophy to determine their own God. His writings espoused beliefs that do not reflect a Christian worldview, but rather bases man’s salvation on his own intuition. Emerson was a rebel in his time, he had independent views that did not align to any system of values. According to “Anthology of American Literature,” Bronson Alcott declares that “Emerson’s church consists of one member-himself.” These words signify that Emerson’s ideas and values were so radical for the time that very few people shared his beliefs. Yet, he was not alone in espousing thinking that seemed somewhat pantheistic and contradictory to what he had preached many years earlier. During the 1830’s Ralph Waldo Emerson joined with some other literary authors of the day in supporting a set of values that looked beyond a Supreme Being for...
Words: 1121 - Pages: 5
...Dead Poets Society's Transcendentalism Transcendentalism is apparent in many forms of literature dating back to the 1800s. The film Dead Poets Society connects the idea of transcendentalism to the modern age. The idea of transcendentalism focuses on freethinking and nonconformity, With multiple examples being found in the film. The film also shares a strong connection with classic literature from the past two centuries. The movie Dead Poets Society is transcendental because of its Thoreauian setting, the teachings of Mr. Keating, and the actions and reactions of the four main characters. Henry David Thoreau's classic story "Walden" is a prime example of a connection between the movie Dead Poets Society and classic literature. Thoreau states in the story that he "went to the woods to live deliberately." In the film, They take multiple different journeys to the woods for different reasons. Even the club they take part in, the dead poets Society, takes place in a cave in the woods. It is a place where they can think freely and not worry about the judgments of their teachers at school. Though this is not the only example of transcendentalism in the movie. John Keating as a character is a key factor in the transcendentalism in this film. Famous historical writers, such as John Locke and Ralph Waldo Emerson, preach the ideas of nonconformity and freethinking. Mr. Keating transfers these thoughts into a modern perspective, teaching the boys to...
Words: 435 - Pages: 2
...Soma pervades in our universe as water in earth, sky and as the sap of plants, as vital fluids in all living beings. As a psychological principle it exists within us expressing our love, feelings, our creativity and etc. It is symbolized as a spiritual principle, an aspect of the infinite and key to immortality. The Soma was an ancient brew or drink prepared by sages and yogis that was said to bestow health, strength, insight, spiritual visionary experience, and communion with divinity. This sacred drink, also called “Amrita” or “nectar of the gods,” opened the mind, heart, and inner landscape while purifying and healing the body In the ŚvetaśvataraUpanishad (II.6.8) the cosmic energies Agni, Vayu and Soma are related to Fire, Air and Moon (Water) and these infer to will, Prāṇā and mind an indicative of the practice of yoga. Agni/ Fire represent the Kundalini power, Vayu/Air represents Prāṇāyāmāand Soma/Moon represents meditation/Bliss /Samādhi state. The Practice of Yoga establishes a consciousness way of living. The eight limbs of Yoga promote a higher life style, higher development in senses, mind and awareness. The meaning of yoga is to unite, coordinate, harmonize and transform. The Classical form of Yoga helps in developing our inner Soma which purifies, detoxifies and rejuvenates our body and mind and Promotes longevity, (Frawley,2012) In the Kaivalya pāda(verse 1) of Patañjalī Yoga sūtrās states that supernatural powers (siddhis) arise from birth, drugs, mantras, austerity...
Words: 790 - Pages: 4
...about the mysterious depths of Walden Pond. One of the aspects of Walden Pond that he strives to impress on the reader is the sheer depth of the water. Throughout the chapter, and in later chapters as well, he describes a seemingly bottomless lake that is nearly mystical in its appearance. Later in the book, Thoreau reveals how deep the lake actually is, according to his calculations, but in Chapter 9, he does not go into the reality. Instead, he paints a picture of a magical place that has no beginning and no end. This is effective because it reminds the reader of the greatness of the earth compared to the feebleness of man. This comparison furthers illustrates Thoreau’s belief in the divinity of nature, a cornerstone of the transcendentalism movement. In another part of “Walden,” Thoreau describes the color of Walden Pond: “It is a vitreous greenish blue.” He then compares this color to that of a large piece of glass: “It is well known that a large plate of glass will have a green...
Words: 890 - Pages: 4
...Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were both influential writers of the transcendentalist movement in the early to mid-nineteenth century. Before moving into solitude, Thoreau had experienced two tragic deaths of close ones: his brother John in 1842, and two weeks later, Emerson’s son, Waldo, who Thoreau had deeply cared about. After not writing for two months following these deaths, Thoreau finally wrote a letter to Emerson in which he attempts to comfort Emerson by connecting himself to Emerson through their similar transcendental beliefs that emotional and spiritual rebirth is a significant function of nature’s glory, that nature is all-powerful so humans should base their lives off of it, and that having life does not mean one is truly living. Thoreau effectively reiterates these shared ideas through his use of rhetorical questions and allusions to other great writers in order to offer comfort. Henry David Thoreau uses rhetorical questions throughout his letter to remind Emerson of the simplistic and accepting ways of nature. For example, Thoreau asks “And after all what portion of this so serene and living nature can be said to be alive?” and “Dead trees - sere leaves - dried grass and herbs - are not these a good part of our life?” In asking these questions, Thoreau is able to get Emerson to begin to question his idea of life and death. Because nature is constantly decaying and blooming with the seasons, is any part of it truly alive? If not, what do truly living...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
...Transcendentalism, a philosophy that follows in the idea that knowledge comes from analyzing our own individual thoughts, rather than what science has proven, has been practiced for over 200 years. Some of the most reknown transcendentalists include Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. I share a personal connection to the ideal of integrity in that as I grow older, it's crucial to my future self that I establish myself as an individual with personal morals, regardless of the status quo. The concept of integrity being the path to internal success is expressed in both Emerson’s, Self Reliance, and Thoreau’s, Civil Disobedience, although perceived in different forms, the notion of individual thought is evidently the common theme. In...
Words: 819 - Pages: 4
