Transcendentalism In Henry David Thoreau's Essay

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1. Emerson’s essay Nature highlights key characteristics of Transcendentalism, such as social conformity, materialism, formalized religion, etc. in order to find a way to become less egocentric, less “I,” less consumerism, and the ill health and stresses that can come from these things (handout). Emerson thought that society was corrupt and in order to fix it, to fix mankind, one needed to return to something authentic because nature is real.

Emerson also believed that “the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul.” For instance, nature, the "NOT ME," is everything separate from the inner “self” or individual, and consists of “ nature,” “art,” “our own bodies,” etc. (2). When this is all gone, the thing that remains is the soul. Thus,
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Thoreau shows interest in the Canadian Woodchopper “because he was so quiet and solitary and so happy withal; a well of good humor and contentment” (109). Thoreau admires these sincere and unpretentious traits because they were in line with his Transcendentalist views and mimicked his own desires to live a simple way to life. However, Thoreau thinks the Canadian Woodchopper is lacking in one important view because he is lacking in education “never educated to the degree of consciousness, but only to the degree of trust and reverence, and a child is not made a man, but kept a child” (110). Thoreau also thought the motivation behind the Canadian Woodchopper’s work and interactions with nature lacking in true Transcendentalist …show more content…
John Field “was discontented and wasted his life into the bargain; and yet he had rated it as a gain in coming to America” (153). John Field fell victim to the American Dream and consumerism, as his happiness is only a dream and was never really attainable, because the only true goal of society was to “feed the beast.” However, seeing this, Thoreau offers John Field advice on living simply, so that he and his family may live a better, simpler, and happier life. Thoreau was living proof that one needed little to live, because he “did not work hard,” therefore he “did not have to eat hard” maintaining a fulfilling and happy life (153). Further, Thoreau describes a “true America” that allows one to “pursue such a mode of life as may enable you to do without these, and where the state does not endeavor to compel you to sustain the slavery and war and other superfluous expenses which directly or indirectly result from the use of such things” (153). Thoreau concludes that John Field is helpless to change because of his “inherited Irish poverty”

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