Ralph Waldo Emerson encompasses nearly all of transcendentalism in one statement: “Every chemical substance, every plant, every animal in its growth, teaches the unity of cause, the variety of appearance...” (Emerson 5). Written in the essay “Self-Reliance,”this statement means that —whether it be as small as an atom or as large as a tree— there exists a unity between their beings. The philosophy of transcendentalism was formed by famous writers such as Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. The term “transcendentalism” is brought up frequently in the discussion of Chris McCandless, the focus of the book Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer. However, the exact reason for Chris’ decision to drop off the face of the Earth is unknown.While many perceived that Chris McCandless took his journey
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But, this defiance directly supports transcendentalism, because Chris strictly follows his intuition and relies on himself for guidance and wisdom. Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” clearly suggests that instead of surrendering to the government, or any overbearing authority, “you must live within yourself, and depend upon yourself, always tucked up and ready for a start...” (11). Self-reliance holds a key to transcendentalisms. Chris avidly believes in intuition and self-reliance, as his old friend expressed, “Chris just didn’t like being told what to do” (Krakauer 80). He seldom took advice from anyone, including many of the experienced people he met on his journey, including the truck driver Gallien, who urged him to take things or stay in one place (6). Kindly and respectfully, he rejects nearly all of their offers. According to him, the person who truly knows what is best for Chris, is Chris. And this characteristic of self-reliance, while some view it as stubborn, makes up an essential aspect of the philosophy of
But, this defiance directly supports transcendentalism, because Chris strictly follows his intuition and relies on himself for guidance and wisdom. Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” clearly suggests that instead of surrendering to the government, or any overbearing authority, “you must live within yourself, and depend upon yourself, always tucked up and ready for a start...” (11). Self-reliance holds a key to transcendentalisms. Chris avidly believes in intuition and self-reliance, as his old friend expressed, “Chris just didn’t like being told what to do” (Krakauer 80). He seldom took advice from anyone, including many of the experienced people he met on his journey, including the truck driver Gallien, who urged him to take things or stay in one place (6). Kindly and respectfully, he rejects nearly all of their offers. According to him, the person who truly knows what is best for Chris, is Chris. And this characteristic of self-reliance, while some view it as stubborn, makes up an essential aspect of the philosophy of