TRANSCENDENTALISM

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TRANSCENDENTALISM

• By
• Gana Harris
• Eleventh Grade
• Honors English III

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ObjectiveCA HE3-3AThe students will
distinguish between cause and effect and be able
to express this difference in an essay
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Concept Map
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What is transcendentalism?

• A philosophical movement that sought to have
  individuals transcend to a higher spiritual
  level
• To achieve this goal, the individual had to seek
  spiritual, not material, greatness and essential
  truths of life through intuition
• The focus in on the human spirit
• A philosophy that is interested in the natural
  world and its relationship to humanity

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Transcendentalism continued

• There is a need to explore nature thoroughly, by
  doing this man can come to know himself
• As a result of exploration, man discovers that
  the human spirit is reflected in nature.
• A philosophy that seeks a life in harmony with
  nature
• A philosophy that feels that nature is symbolic
  of the inner man (nature/man are the same)
• A philosophy that rebels against the material
  world and organized religion

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Transcendentalism continued

• Ideas become more important than things
• A philosophy that believes in individualism
• A philosophy that feels that imitation is suicide
• A philosophy that believes that all forms of
  being-God, nature, and humanity- are spiritually
  united through a shared universal soul or
  Over-Soul.

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Background of philosophy

• The ideas for this philosophy come from the
  Greeks (Plato)
• Writers
• Dante, Shakespeare, Milton
• World religions
• Hindus, Christians
• European philosophers
• Kant (German)-understanding through
  intuition
• Pascal (French)-mathematician/moralist
• Swedenborg (Swedish)-scientist/mystic

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Albert Bierstadt White Mountains, New Hampshire,
1863 Duke University Museum of Art
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Concepts of transcendentalism can be found in the
discussion of nature.

• How are you affected by nature?
• Do you find comfort in it?
• Do you see the moods of nature?
• What is the role of nature in your life?
• What is meant by an individuals spiritual side?
• How would you define it?
• Is there a connection between the individuals
  spirit and nature?
• What is the connection?
• What does it mean to know something intuitively?

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Transcendentalism in America

• From 1840-1855, literature in American
  experienced a rebirth call the New England
  Renaissance. Through their poetry, short
  stories, novels, and other works, writers during
  this period established a clear American voice.
  No longer did they see their work as less
  influential then that of European authors.
  Transcendentalism was part of this flowering of
  American literature (Webster, 3).

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Ralph Waldo Emerson
http//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_.../Emerson_Ra
lph_Waldo.htm
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From Nature
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Assignment

• Answer the questions in the text on page 390,
  numbers 1-7
• Select a vivid phrase or sentence from Nature and
  illustrate it in any way you choose. You might
  draw a picture, write a poem, interpret a piece
  of music or perform a dance.

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(No Transcript)
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Understanding Transcendentalism

• Emerson essay embodies some of the most important
  principles of Transcendentalism. Three of these
  principles are
• A. There is a human spirit that is able to intuit
  the fundamental truths of the universe.
• B. The human spirit is reflected in nature.
• C. All forms of being are spiritually united.

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Directions Write the letter of the principle of
Transcendentalism that the passage illustrates.

• _____In the tranquil landscape, and specially in
  the distant line of the horizon, man beholds
  somewhat as beautiful as his own nature.
• _____The greatest delight which the fields and
  woods minister is the suggestion of an occult
  relation between am and the vegetable.
• _____Yet it is certain that the power to produce
  is delight does not reside in nature, but in
  man, or in harmony of both.

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Understanding Transcendentalism continued

• _____Nature always wears the colors of the
  spirit.
• _____The power which resides in him is new in
  nature, and non but he knows what it is which he
  can do. . .
• _____Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity
  of our own mind.

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Proofreading

• Correct the following note to a friend.
• Dear Marie
• I just read Ralph Waldo Emersons essay
  Nature. Although he was once a minister, he
  thought of himself as more of a poet than a
  preacher. He traveled to Europe, and met with
  William Wordsworth, and other influential
  writers. I think you would enjoy reading about
  Emersons life.
• your friend,
• Jonathan

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Henry David Thoreau
http//encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_7.../Thoreau_H
enry_David.htm
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From Walden
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Assignment

• Answer questions from Walden page 411 numbers 1-6

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Understanding Style

• Choice of words (simple and direct of complex and
  formal)
• Length of sentences (short of long)
• Structure of sentences( simple and direct or
  complex and involved)
• Rhythm (create an internal rhythm by repeating
  words or ideas from sentence to sentence)
• Use of literary devices( different symbols or
  figures of speech)

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Understanding style continued

• Directions Read and determine style from this
  excerpt from Walden.
• To my imagination it retained throughout the day
  more or less of this aurora character, reminding
  me of a certain house on a mountain which I had
  visited the year before. This was an airy and
  unplastered cabin, fit to entertain a traveling
  god, and where a goddess might trail her
  garments. The winds which passed over my
  dwelling were such as sweep over the mountains,
  bearing the broken strains, or celestial parts
  only, of terrestrial music.

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Understanding style continued

• Word choice________________________
• Sentence length_____________________
• Sentence structure___________________
• Rhythm___________________________
• Literary devices____________________________

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Writing Prompt

• What causes Henry David Thoreau to go into the
  woods and what effects do the woods have on him?
• This will be a cause/effect essay
• Fill out the graphic organizer
• Create an edited rough draft
• Create a final draft
• Create a Reference Cited page

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(No Transcript)
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Writing Assessment The paper has a clear
beginning, middle, and end.It contains a strong
controlling idea progresses in a logical manner
uses effective cohesive devices between and
within paragraphs.It clearly addresses the topic
and provides adequate elaboration through
specific and relevant details.examples. There is
a clear distinction between main and subordinate
ideas. The language is precise and
vivid.Sentences are clear and varied in
structure.Effective use of literary and stylistic
techniques, reveals complexity, freshness of
thought and individual perspective-indicating
that the writer is in control of the task and
clearly demonstrates an awareness of both
audience and purpose.There are few errors in
grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and
spelling.
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Lesson Summary
Students will be able to look at the relationship
they have with nature and explore their
relationship to nature as well as their
relationships with other human beings. They will
also learn to appreciate a different intellectual
movement.
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Scoring Guide
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Work Cited

• Thoreau, Henry David. From Walden.
• In K. Kinsella, K. Feldman, and C.
  
• S. Stump. (Eds.). Literature the
• American Experience. Upper
• Saddle River Prentice Hall, Inc.,
• 2002.

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Career Opportunities National Forest
Service Department of Conservation