NOTES Get out a sheet of notebook paper and turn it horizontally.

1. NOTES • Get out a sheet of notebook paper and turn it horizontally. • In the middle of the page, write “Transcendentalism” and draw a circle around it. • Draw four “arms” coming out of the circle and label each arm: “Facts,” “Figures”, “Philosophical Concepts” and “Literature” Figures Facts *You will take notes based on the slides along each arm of the graphic organizer. Transcendentalism Philosophical Concepts Literature

2. Transcendentalism Historic Pathways to the American Dream

3. Where did it come from? By the mid-1800s, Americans were taking pride in their emerging culture Many began to criticize their Puritan heritage which emphasized material prosperity and rigid obedience to society’s laws. American ideals shifted to optimism, freedom and self-reliance exalting the dignity of the individual

4. What is Transcendentalism? Intellectual movement founded by Ralph Waldo Emerson Focused attention on the human spirit with a deep interest in the natural world and its relationship to humanity Believed the fundamental truths of existence lay outside the reach of the senses and could only be grasped by intuition Foundation = All forms of being – God, nature, and humanity are spiritually united through a shared universal soul, or Over-Soul.

5. Core Beliefs of Transcendentalism Believed in individuality – emphasis is on the individual as superior to society Humanity is spiritually connected to nature; All life is divine Resisted conformity Stressed the importance of self-knowledge and achieving it through liberal education Believed God is omnipresent and omniscient (He’s everywhere and all-knowing.) Success is measured by man’s correct relationship to his work

6. Ralph Waldo Emerson(1803 -1882)“All life is an experiment.” Individuality, independence and an appreciation for the wonders of nature – are just a few of the principles that he helped ingrain in the nation’s identity.

7. The Man Born in Boston, Mass. Son of a minister (an ordained minister himself) Graduate of Harvard (entered Harvard at 14 years old) His wife’s, Ellen’s, death threw him into a spiritual crisis which caused him to question Christian tradition Formed the Transcendental Club with a group of like-minded friends including Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller and settled in Concord, Mass. Achieved national fame in 1841 when he published Essays, a collection based on material from his journals and lectures. Often described as a stiff and formal person, dressed always in black, who reserved his passion for the page and podium.

8. Emerson was the philosopher and teacher… “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) …was the student and the practitioner

9. Getting to know Thoreau Born and raised in Concord, Mass. Attended Harvard and became a teacher Careful observer and deep thinker who tried to live by his own values and questioned authority and rules In 1842, Emerson became his mentor/teacher. Quit teaching and dedicated himself to testing the Transcendentalist philosophy through experience In 1845, Thoreau retreated to Walden Pond to live simply and frugally in a small cabin – famous social experiment.

10. The Defiant Nonconformist As a Harvard student, the dress code required students to wear a black coat but Thoreau refused and wore a green one! In his first year of teaching, Thoreau refused to punish his students physically (corporal punishment) and resigned his position.

11. Inspired by Thoreau Mohandas Ghandi used forms of non-violent civil disobedience in his commitment to peace and justice for the rights of Indian immigrants in South Africa and India’s independence from Great Britain. Martin Luther King, Jr. was also inspired and used Thoreau’s philosophies during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s in the United States.

12. From “Self Reliance” • As you read, underline key ideas that reflect the core elements of Transcendentalism • According to the excerpt, what is the only law that Emerson can hold sacred? • What does Emerson mean when he says “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds…”?

13. Excerpt from Walden: “Where I lived and What I lived for” • As you read, underline key ideas that reflect the core elements of Transcendentalism • What are Thoreau’s criticisms of society? • Think of an aspect of modern society that Thoreau would object to and explain why he would find it objectionable.

14. HOMEWORK • Read the article “Thoreau Still Beckons, if I can Take My Laptop” by Cynthia La Ferle in your American Literature textbook (pg 389). • Then, answer the following questions on notebook paper: • Why does the writer consider it “fitting” that she found Walden while cleaning her office? • What does the writer believe to be the reason committing to a social experiment like Walden would be difficult or nearly impossible today? • What is ironic about the state of the “real” Walden today? • How would Thoreau react to La Ferle’s article?