Ralph H. Baer

The definition of transcendental is relating to a spiritual or nonphysical realm, transcendentalist seem to make the most out of nature and are independent thinkers. I feel that I am the opposite of this. By this I mean, I spend most of my day at school, rushing to get assignments done and to socialize with others. When I get home, I find myself on my computer playing games and surfing the internet for numerous hours a day until I must fall asleep and repeat. In the fast-paced world that is only…

Self-Reliance can be defined as a reliance on one’s own power, rather than those of others. This idea follows the Transcendentalist Movement; consequently, Ralph Waldo Emerson, a transcendentalist, was an advocate for self-reliance. Emerson defended the idea in an essay published in 1841 called Self-Reliance. In the text, Emerson effectively displays a need for self-reliance through the use of diction, syntax, and rhetorical devices to move his audience to practice self-reliance in their lives.…

Throughout Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, a major concept is negativity toward conformity. Emerson was born in the early 1800s and grew up during the age of transcendentalism. Non-conformity was a key idea in transcendentalism, a philosophy which Emerson was a significant contributor to. It was believed that self reliance is how humans function at their best. Non-conformity mentioned in Self-Reliance creates unnecessary conflict and leads to a stagnant society Non-conformity creates a…

It is apparent, even before reading either Into the Wild or Walden, that Henry David Thoreau and Chris McCandless are both men who have a love for nature. Not everyone can say that they even particularly like nature and the outdoors, but these two men truly found the beauty of the wild. When reading both books, the reader finishes with an entirely different view on life. Both men were very much alike (believing in a lot of similar things and behaving in similar ways), but they did have their…

Argumentative Essay: Thoreau’s Walden MLA Thoreau's argument about the truth of transcendental ideals is made credible through his use of emotional appeals, his support, and his language. Thoreau makes clear and concise points in his word choice and use of syntax that lead to the analysis of his own transcendental ideas. He does this by explaining his well-supported findings and conveying his personal experiences; with transcendentalism he portrays a convincing and inspiring point of view and…

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 Emerson was a principal figure in the Transcendentalist movement of the 1840s, in addition to, he was also a well-known essayist and poet. His 1841 essay, “Self-Reliance”, emphasizes the importance of people acquiring their identity along with being true to themselves. Throughout his essay, Emerson strains the significance of individuals avoiding conformity and following their own thoughts and judgments. Emerson obtains his goal of conveying his message by generating multifarious…

Thoreau writings had a great impact on Chris. Chris tried to live life like Thoreau. Chris’s view on society was shaped impart by Thoreau. Chris wanted live life not just be a part of it. Thoreau wrote “…I mean that they should not play life, or study it merely, while the community supports them at this expensive game, but earnestly live it from beginning to end,” (American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau, 17). Chris and Thoreau have many things in common. They both wanted to…

In the play The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail there is a lot of examples of transcendentalism. One of which is said by Henry’s mother, “He keeps casting conformity behind him!” (Lawrence and Lee 6). Henry’s mother is asking him how he learned his alphabet and he questions her asking if the alphabet has to begin with ‘A’. Henry would rather the alphabet start with “Z” or any other letter besides “A”. Henry is listening to Emerson speak and is very enthralled by his speech. His brother John and…

The Transcendentalist movement showed a lot of humans how to appreciate the world around them and be very symbiotic with the nature around them. Led by Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, texts and art forms displayed by the duo showed the world how to transcend past the norm of reality and exhibit characteristics not typically shown in a modern society. With this came forward the thoughts of Self-Reliance, the belief that you need no one, literally no one else to sustain economic,…