Chris Mccandless And Henry David Thoreau Transcendentalism

“There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil” -Ralph Waldo Emerson in Self Reliance. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a transcendentalist. Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that originated in the 19th century and was primarily influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalists’ main beliefs are: self-reliance is essential to one’s life, nature is divine, every person should have an optimistic outlook, and humanity needs to adhere to their personal morals and beliefs. In today’s world we still see a multitude of the beliefs of transcendentalism.

Henry David Thoreau’s words that “disobedience is the true foundation of liberty” and that “the obedient must be slaves” is a political statement that never lost its topicality during the Romantic era. Thoreau served as an important contributor to the philosophical and American literary movement known as New England Transcendentalism. Nature and the conduct of life are two central themes that are often weaved together in his essays and books that were published in the Romantic era of literature. Thoreau brought these two themes together to write on how people ought to live a simplistic life through embracing nature. His naturalistic writing intertwined cataloging and observation with Transcendentalist views of nature. Through his life and

Moreover, both McCandless and Thoreau sought solitude because they preferred it, but McCandless also wanted to prove he could survive alone. The first reason

Ultimately, this point was never fully proven, for he didn’t make it out alive. McCandless seemed to think he could never ask for help, that he had to do everything all on his own. He established his independence all throughout his life, but his voyage to Alaska was what did him in. Despite his tragic end and the extremist standpoint of his view on self-rule, McCandless’s views of self-reliance and independence from others were additionally shared by Thoreau.

Why is solitude looked down on society? It should be advised by people to start engaging in the concept of solitude. Henry David Thoreau and Chris McCandless were both transcendentalism that believes in the key fundamental idea that the human body should partake in such as solitude. Henry Thoreau was a transcendentalist that practiced the form of solitude throughout his life. He left society and moved into the woods to be removed from the confines of society. Along with Thoreau, a more modern-day transcendentalist was known as Chris McCandless. McCandless journeyed to the wilderness in Alaska to be able to experience a minimal amount of human interaction along with the solitude that comes with it. The concept of solitude should be

In Ticknor 2). Some people are too afraid to change how they’re living, even when they don’t like it, they don’t like being confined. Especially, for a man or boy, they’re the ones that generally are more adventurous and bold, keeping people confined or secured doesn’t bring out their inner self and who they are. He even says in his journal he was keeping: “He was right in saying that the only certain happiness in life is to live for others…I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet, secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them” (Qtd. In Ticknor 3). Which is him saying that leaving his home and going into the wild to be independent, he did find himself along with finding happiness. It also says: “Thoreau’s teaches us about the importance of having a vision, of believing in truth, whatever we call that truth, and of seeing our existence as the exploration of multiple possibilities” (Qtd. In Thoreau 4) which is probably where McCandless acquired his idea of going into the wild to find himself, arise from. McCandless knew there were multiple possibilities as well as different things to do in life, he was

Until, when he finally decided that it was time to escape society, and start living independently, to find out exactly who he was. “Hey, Guys! This is the last communication you shall receive from me. I now walk out to live amongst the wild. Take care, it was great knowing you. ALEXANDER” (Krakauer, 69). The day Chris said those words he was finally living his own life, instead of the life his parents gave him. He was proud to walk out of the life he didn’t want anymore and live the life that he always wanted to live. Besides Chris living his own life instead of his parents, he also lived to find his inner self.

Followers of the Transcendentalist movement stressed the religious, philosophical and ideological importance of life. Henry David Thoreau was a staunch supporter of the movement. Thoreau felt that a person lived a good life by following his conscience and instincts. He also felt that materialism was a sure way to distract a person from leading a good and moral life. Thoreau proposed for the government to be involved in as little of a citizen's life as possible; he felt too much government control just complicated a person's life. Like most Transcendentalists, Thoreau believed there was a direct connection to God through nature. If a person appreciated nature he would gain a higher understanding of God. Finally, Thoreau encouraged

Transcendentalism, or the belief that there is a direct connection between a man’s individual soul and nature, was a very avant-garde movement throughout its peak; although now, American society continues to grow increasingly distant from it. These ideals are reflected in the works of Henry David Thoreau and Jon Krakauer, as well as the life of Chris McCandless. Throughout Thoreau’s novel Walden he distinctly preaches the belief that in society, men have become more focused on work and material possessions than life’s simple pleasures and freedoms. In the same manner, Krakauer and McCandless both draw inspiration from Thoreau, and ultimately share spiritual experiences throughout their adventures, both seeking to find life’s true purpose. Although many will argue that transcendental ideas and culture are outdated and have no place in today’s humanity, transcendentalism itself, and the ideals possessed by Henry David Thoreau and Chris McCandless have played a major role in American society, in that they appeal to the spiritual side of every man, which accredits to the belief that only life’s bare necessities are required in order to live a fulfilled life. However, it is unfeasible to live a transcendental lifestyle in today’s insatiable, consumerist society.

Chris McCandless went out into the wild with different intention’s then Thoreau. One of Thoreau’s intentions was to get away from the government because of his disagreements with slavery. He left because he didn’t want to support the government by paying his taxes. Chris McCandless never showed any reasons for leaving that helped anyone else. He left in his own selfish manner. McCandless was running away from his own problems that could have been worked out with his family. When reading Thoreau’s Experiment at Walden Pond it states that Thoreau spent his time at the house writing, reading, taking long walks, observing nature and entertaining visitors. This quote explains that Thoreau used his time alone to focus on his writing and observing nature. McCandless’s main focus was surviving. He didn’t have time for anything else.

To think philosophically, the reality of living does not really has a definition. Around the 1840s, specific groups of people known as transcendentalists argued that there’s an intensive connection among God, man, and nature. They emphasizes that the main truth of understanding reality in life should be an individual epiphany. Christopher Johnson McCandless from Into the Wild shared similar philosophical ideas as two notable transcendentalists known as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, and lived life like a transcendentalist based on his behaviors and life values.

In this passage from Walden by Thoreau, the author articulates beautifully how he lives his life, why, and how he has adapted to his new home. Thoreau wishes to live a more free life where he can write and live void of responsibility, he wants to get the most from the remainder of his life by determining what is truly important, and he did this by removing himself as best he could from the normal life of Concord, Massachusetts in the 1840's to a decrepit cabin in the woods. Part of this was economic: he reduced his material needs by living in a simpler way, so that he would not have to spend much time supporting a lifestyle that he did not need

Thoreau and McCandless had similar overall reasons to go into the wild but McCandless’ reasoning went deeper, involving family and childhood issues. McCandless still managed to live out the points that Thoreau made in Walden. “It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves” (377). Both men had a hatred for materialism and how it changes people. McCandless was eager to get away from the materialistic world. He donated his money to charity and burned anything remaining. These two men wanted to get away from the materialistic world because society easily falls into a trend. McCandless and Thoreau shared a love for nature. When McCandless was a child, he went on camping trips

He does not want to be affected by the influence of society. He says “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I have not lived” (Thoreau 182). Society wants everybody to be close to each other and wants everybody to do the same thing. Thoreau disobeys society and does what he wants. This relates to people today.

There have been numerous religious rebellions throughout history, but none quite like that of Transcendentalism. This movement embodies the idea that spiritual growth can be achieved through personal journey instead of conflicting with organized religion. By the time of the movement’s onset, newly gained religious freedom in the United States allowed for new ideas and beliefs to prosper freely. At the heart of this movement was Transcendentalism philosophy famous ambassadors, Ralph Waldo Emerson and apprentice Henry David Thoreau. These men believed nature is what forces us not to depend on other ideas but to develop our own.