Arcady: His Voyage Towards Individualism Essay

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are still considered two of the most influential writers of their time. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who was a lecturer, essayist, and poet, Henry David Thoreau is his student, who was also a great essayist and critics. Both men extensively studied and embraced nature, and both men encouraged and practiced individualism and nonconformity. In Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self Reliance" and Henry David Thoreau's book "Walden" and essay "Resistance to Civil Government ("Civil Disobedience")", both thinkers speak about being individual and what reforms and changes need to be made in society. Thoreau stayed with Emerson for a while and was affected by his ideas, especially relating to the individual and

During the 1860s, there were new, different streams of thoughts that were emerging. In Fathers and Sons, Bazarov was a nihilist, and represented the younger generation who believed in Bazarovism. Turgenev’s description of Bazarov and his attempts to change Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov, a Romantic, reveals what Turgenev thought toward nihilists. Bazarov’s actions and thoughts mirror the thoughts of those young scholars during the 1860s. Throughout his novel, Turgenev’s portrayal of Bazarov create a description of Bazarovism, a different and new type of literary type and thought for Russia during the 1860s. These new literary and intellectual types of thought grew from the generational difference between the fathers and the sons. As it grew out of a difference between generations, Bazarovism is largely different from Romanticism, what the fathers believe in, and is related to nihilism.

In Father and Sons, Turgenev reveals this conflict between the traditionalists Pavel in contrast to the modernist, Bazarov. This conflict is raised because of each characters generation and belief. For example Pavel is from an older generation who follows an old traditional Russian ideology. However, Bazarov rejects the old traditional Russian ideologies and concentrate on the modern thinking of Nihilism. Because of the two very different ideologies and beliefs, it is inevitable that there will be a sense of tension and hatred building between the two characters which will eventually lead to climax when one of the characters goes overboard, which is shown during the duel of Bazarov and Pavel.

The character that are talking in this section are Vronsky and Ambassador’s wife. This passage is about if marriage should happen through two of the people falling in love or if it should be with reason (getting married because of politics). Before this passage was said the group of society elites were discussing the marriage between Vlasyeva and Topov. After this passage was spoken Anna Karenia and Vronsky discuss their feelings between each other. Anna feels that Vronsky should go back to Kitty and apologize to her for leaving her. Anna is conflicted with her feelings towards Vronsky but feels that he should do right by Kitty.

A significant philosopher of the pre-Civil War era of the United States, Henry David Thoreau appeared to be above the standard with his philosophically driven life style. He wrote detailed accounts of his life in his book titled Walden, in which he expressed his desire to escape the confining pressures of human society. His second chapter lauded the concepts of individualism and self-sufficiency, yet he never took into account the potential harm of his mentality, for it could hurt individuals as well as communities, and modern life simply cannot support his ideals.

Raskolnikov targeted Alyona Ivanovna because a lot of people could have had the motive to kill her because she was widely despised for her abuse of her sister and how she treated her customers

A couple weeks had gone by before Shonda and I decided to date. She thought her parents wouldn’t allow it but they thought she was long overdue for a boyfriend. Cassie had also begun to date my friend, Arthan Hopkins. Arthan wasn’t your average kid. He had a grade point average that no teacher could calculate because it seemed so impossible.

In a passage excerpted from the novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Raskolnikov fixes his attention on a girl who is staggeringly drunk. While Raskolnikov is watching her, he notices a large man who is also paying special attention to the drunk girl; however, the stranger is clearly intent on taking advantage of the girl. Raskolnikov notifies a police officer of the circumstance in order to protect the girl, and in an instant he changes his mind and decides that he does not care about what happens to the girl, and scoffs at himself for ever getting involved. Dostoevsky uses this event to reveal the two characteristics that Raskolnikov often switches between: being a morally good person who helps others, and a cynic who cares only about himself. Dostoevsky shows Raskolnikov’s complex and quick changing character through the literary devices of tone, diction, and point of view.

It is an undisputable fact that the contribution of such prominent philosophers, writers, political and social activists as Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau in developing American statehood is tremendous. The literary works of both men can serve as a manifesto of national and personal liberation, a call for building a better society, where each citizen can live and work freely. Indeed, both Henry Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin emphasize the independence and freedom of an individual, but they do so in significantly different ways. These differences can be linked to their different worldview, life positions, philosophies, or interests.

One of the central characters, Evgeny Vasilevich Bazarov, is introduced as a nihilist, someone who doesn’t believe in anything and is well known to reject everything including existing values and institutions. A reflection of the new generation, Bazarov ideals as a nihilist exaggerates his hypermasculinity. His distaste and objectification towards women along with his desire to dominate and his lack of emotions reveals his hypermasculinity. He is sexually aggressive, active, independent and extremely competitive which further proves his hypermasculine traits. The introduction of Anna Sergeevna Odintsova threatened Bazarov’s nihilistic perspective and his masculinity. Odintsova’s curiosity towards the idea that Bazarov does not believe in anything

Alyosha Fyodorovich has changed only a little since he left the monastery. He sports a new suit and he has become more confident, but he remains the most sensible and gentle of the Karamazov brothers. He is still working in God’s vineyard and is able to direct the errors of the young, comfort the sick and devastated, and be present to all that need his calming demeanor.

At last, when the child comes into her household, Olga finds renewed vigor--Sasha. Olga's life once again takes on meaning, as she absorbs herself with the care of Sasha. Olga's joy is once more rekindled and she feels delighted to provide for young Sasha as if he were her own son, and joyously "pops a caramel into his hand" on each trip to school (116). She empowers him "to do his best and obey all of the teachers" as a loving mother and since her character as an ideal of selfless maternal love which also surfaces. However, Sasha who overwhelmingly feels smothered by her demonstrations of maternal love feels shamefully bothered by Olenka following him regardless of whether it is for security reasons or not by spouting "You'd better go home auntie. I can go the rest of the way alone."

Prague was exposed to Jewish learning and writing during the 1900s, until the social and political turmoil of the collapsing Austrian Empire. The collapse led Prague to be under Czechoslovakia, who led Prague to be dictated by Nazi, Germany. Prague was later overtaken by communists ,who seized power and brought harsh repression and decline to Prague. Kafka’s lack of confidence and fear caused him to not voice his ideologies on the Slavic culture, Jewish existence, and bureaucratic system ; however, he still managed to mirror his perceptions of his society in his works.

Henry David Thoreau believes that in a government that is ruled by the majority vote, or the majority rule, the government itself is answering to the requests of the strongest group, and in most cases, the strongest group is not the group with the best intentions, in terms of virtue or thoughts. Thoreau describes “the majority [of the governed] … [are not] most likely to be right… but they are physically the strongest.” He believes that the majority have their requests answered due to their strength. Shortly after, he discusses the idea of a government ruling by conscience and not through their own decisions of right and wrong. “Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterwards.” Thoreau debates the idea of following what we believe is right, through our conscience, rather than blindly following the law. I agree with Thoreau in this aspect, why should we blindly follow rules that we know are morally unjust? Thoreau begins his piece of literature with his accepted motto, “That government is best which governs least.” There is a term called “individualistic culture”, which is defined to mean “a culture that looks to government to maintain a stable society but with minimum intervention in the lives of the people.” Thoreau believes that the best kind of government is the kind that governs the least number of people, supporting this

Nihilism in Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons has several characters that hold strong views of the world. For example, Pavel believes that Russia needs structure from such things as institution, religion, and class hierarchy. On the other hand, Madame Odintzov views the world as simple so long as she keeps it systematic and free from interference.