Transcendentalism In Brook Farm

During these days, we often imagine that if we do not fit into the society, we are left out. The lyrics of “Subdivision” by Rush shows if we do not conform to others, we might be cast out(Sub-division). We often think that having an articulate mind with many thoughts is having a high social status. However, there are certain values in our lives and our beliefs which we should appreciate as the man and nature are all connected which now is a belief referred as the “Transcendentalism”. Although Transcendentalism is a broad topic, the motif following the instincts and living under simplicity drew my attention. Transcendentalism was one of the major turning points of American literary revolutions and can play a huge role in the 21st century of

The transcendentalist philosopher Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Most men even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the facetious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them.” Thoreau advocated simplifying life and the benefits of living in isolation from society in the wilderness to “suck the marrow out of life”. In the non-fiction book titled Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, the young man Chris McCandless’ story is told. McCandless traveled to Alaska to experience the most extreme transcendentalist existence foretold by Thoreau. While in Alaska he meet his end, and many historians contemplate why he took this tremendous undertaking to

Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, central figures of Transcendentalism, expressed their beliefs through works such as “American Scholar” and “Into the Woods” in the nineteenth century. They believed that one must be in simplicity, solitude, and away from technology to appreciate the beauty of nature, which is essential for a better spiritual understanding of oneself. Transcendentalism, which focuses on spiritual interactions with nature, is relevant in today’s hectic life with temptations of materialistic goods and burdens of technology. The retreat that Webb offers every year is a good example of how Transcendentalism shapes students to have spiritual richness and mental strength. On retreats, students go off campus with bare necessities for three days to camp sites in nature to reflect and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. Viewed through the lens of Transcendentalism, retreats allow students to prepare for a new and busy school year to come by helping them to realize their own goals, to get rid of distractions of technology, to get inspired by nature for a better understanding of themselves, and to enjoy a moment of solitude to truly reflect on the deeper meanings of life.

People around the world and throughout time have always had an idea of spirituality. The spirit has been thought of as an essential part of human nature. The evidence is in the common culture of religions in the world. The soul is the essence of humanity and spirituality is the condition of one’s soul. Spirituality is the condition of a consciousness. One answer to creating this essential growth in spirituality is Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the rebellion of one’s soul against the societal laws that humanity upholds. It is the integrity of a being and the healing of a scarred mind through nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a major figure in transcendentalist literature and wrote two separate essays, one being named “Self-Reliance”, and the other “Nature”. Spiritual growth of all kinds is motivated by these transcendentalist impulses, shown through literary impressions and comparisons, mainly through Emerson, around the themes of self-reliance, poetic nature, and the influence of that nature on the soul.

Moving out into the the woods and off the grid isn’t for everyone. For a few families, this is a way of life. This lifestyle showcases many beliefs of transcendentalism, many that are still abundantly present in society today. Transcendentalism is shown in the way people live and in the television shows like “The Boonies”. In “The Boonies”, transcendentalism appears in the ideas of Idealism/Individualism and in Nature.

In today’s society, it appears that every week the general public is raving about a new app that was released or some newly created piece of technology. Week in and week out magazines and news sources highlight the newest inventions and and must-have items, encouraging the public to rush for the stores to acquire the new big thing. While such a concept is commonplace in today’s society, there was a time when this idea of materialism was a rarity, and, to a certain extent, frowned upon. American Transcendentalism was a religious and philosophical movement during the 1820s and ‘30s, that emphasized the importance and purity of the individual, and argued that society and its institutions corrupted the purity of every individual. Transcendentalism

Throughout history, people encounter a stage in their lives where they feel the necessity to assert their independence and challenge their abilities and self-worth. In the book, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, the author shares his understanding and kinship with the main character, Chris McCandless, a young man who thrusts himself into a life of solitude and a harsh environment during his search for meaning to his life. Krakauer depicts himself and McCandless as modern day transcendentalists with an abundance of competency, resourcefulness and skills as naturalists. Although McCandless chose to experience a life of solitude and face the hazards that nature presents, his lack of preparedness prevented him from completing his endeavor successfully.

Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement developed in the early-19 century. This literary movement based on the importance of God, man and nature, allowed numerous authors to become known. Nowadays, in a society full of innovations and in which nature is becoming less and less important, some people still feel the need to live far from the cities, in the wilderness, and still appreciate the simple things of life. Chris McCandless was one of them and decided to live a simple life by following the basic ideas of transcendentalism.

Chris McCandless used many transcendentalist keys throughout his life, such as non-conformity, the importance of self-expression, and self-reliance. Throughout the book Into the Wild, McCandless uses these keys as if his life depended on it. These keys have shaped many lives, including: Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and more. While McCandless used all of the transcendentalism keys throughout Into the Wild, he used non-conformity the most.

A quote from William Bolitho states, “Adventure must start with running away from home”. Into the WIld is a true account of an individual who seeks the natural land of Earth to develop a better life for himself. The author, Jon Krakauer, publishes the series of events that lead to the death of a young nomad, Christopher McCandless. The mysterious death of the runaway intellect was investigated by Jon Krakauer, an editor who retraced McCandless’s steps and interviewed everyone that had an interaction with McCandless or his alias, Alexander Supertramp. McCandless left everything behind, including his wealthy and bright future, to start a new life as a nomadic hitchhiker. He intended to begin a life of religious philosophy, connecting with nature, to connect with himself through optimism, self-reliance and nonconformity, a life of transcendentalism. As he traveled around the Western United States, Christopher McCandless lived an optimistic life which allowed him to overlook the dangers and hardships of his journey detached from society.

I would like to first congratulate the legacy of your involvement in the Transcendentalist movement. You were one of the vanguards that pioneer the pursuit of uncomplexed nature. I have questions that will be addressed later, but your commentary on materialistic society was inspiring. Your experiment in the wilderness was ambitious, and your work on civil disobedience paralleled the philosophy of later prominent figure, such as Gandhi. With the flattering comments aside, I wonder about the intricacies on your ideology.

Chris McCandless is a young man who feels lost because of family troubles regarding Chris’ father, Walt and a possible affair. Chris was a firm believer in transcendentalism and felt as though he needed to divorce his parents and live a nomadic life… and going to Alaska to live off the land for a while. Jon krakauer, author of Into the Wild, wrote about Chris home life, as well as his adventures and travelers he met on his way. Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer characterizes Christopher McCandless as Determined and spontaneous.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." Transcendentalist believed in being independent and self-reliant as well as appreciating nature. Transcendentalism occurred in the 1800s in the United States. Transcendentalist believed that one should not rely on others and should rely solely on themselves. They also believe that nature was important in the world and should not be taken for granted. Artist from 2000 up to now share these common beliefs with transcendentalist. One of these artist is Trisha Yearwood who had the song Real Live Woman. Another artist who has a song that follows their beliefs is Lee Ann Womack. Lee Ann Womack has the song I Hope You Dance which also follows along with the beliefs of transcendentalist. Some of the beliefs that transcendentalist had was believing in independence and they also believed in appreciating nature and everything in it for example Lee Ann Womack sings about nature and what happens in it and Trisha Yearwood in one of her songs sings about the importance of being self-reliant and independent she also talks about social reforms and not doing things that is set up by society.

Krakauer himself agrees with such claim. Before he even begins to tell the tale of Chris McCandless, Krakauer speaks directly of McCandless transcendance. In the authors note Krakauer writes that McCandless “invented a new life for himself...wandering across North America in search of raw, transcendent experience” (Krakauer Author’s Note). To deny such a direct assessment from someone who shares so many sympathies with McCandless, is ludicrous. Krakauer also compares Mccandless to transcendentalist monks on several occasions. From the description of Chris’s “monkish room furnished with little more than a thin mattress on the floor, milk crates, and a table”( Krakauer 22), to stating that he is “as chaste as a monk” (65). Krakauer even goes

Transcendentalism was a huge cultural movement in the nineteenth century; however, the ideas of the movement still continue to influence our society in the twenty-first century. These ideas of Transcendentalism have continued to exist throughout many years because the ideas remain relevant to society. In fact, the problems that many Transcendentalist writers encountered still happen today in new forms. These similar problems include conformity, the role of government in society, and the importance of nature. In general, people still feel that society needs to better itself for the benefit of all individuals, which is at the heart of Transcendentalism. Some of the ideas that Transcendentalists constantly defended included individualism,