Transcendentalism Henry David Thoreau Essay - 1096 Words

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau grew up in poverty; his dad was unsuccessful and had trouble maintaining a steady job. Thoreau followed in his father’s footsteps, ultimately bouncing from job to job, scorned by society for his unconventional way of living and lack of income (Henry David Thoreau, Discovering Biography). Thoreau began to write with the guidance of Ralph Waldo Emerson who became one of the most important influences in his life. Living with Emerson gave Thoreau insight and inspiration on how to write, and eventually led him to write Walden (Henry David Thoreau, Discovering Biography). Walden was also inspired by Transcendentalism, a literary movement that challenged the use and†¦show more content†¦Walden’s main themes and ideas embody the Transcendentalist literary movement. Thoreau proves in Walden that although society may feel overbearing and laden with responsibilities, each person may do whatev er he or she pleases. It is society and its glorified version of material things that makes people think that they always have to be one step ahead, when in reality it does not matter. Thoreau wrote Walden to point out the irony that people are possessed by their possessions (Swirski). Thoreau wanted to prove that a life led simply could be more fulfilling than a life led by an obsession of material things. This idea of the simplicity of human nature was one of the main ideas of Transcendentalism. Thoreau’s work was heavily influenced by the Transcendentalist movement due to his involvement with Emerson (Swirski). Another theme of Walden is unity with God. Thoreau believed that God was unified with philosophy, nature, and humanity, an idea that stemmed from the Transcendentalist movement. The Transcendentalist movement was a religious movement characterized by the belief that religion was what was inside of you, not what other people told you (â€Å"Thoreau, Henry David†). Thoreau was a strong believer in what this movement stood for, and because of this, he immersed himself into nature to discover religion and God inside of himself. Thoreau then wrote Walden toShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of Transcendentalism : Henry David Thoreau1654 Words   |  7 PagesThe Effect of Transcendentalism: Henry David Thoreau Transcendentalism is the American literary, political, and philosophical movement of the early nineteenth century that was rooted in the pure Romanticism of the English and the German (Goodman). Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered the father of Transcendentalism because his literature is the first to praise the notable spirituality of nature. The basic belief of the movement is to live authentically; being true to oneself (Day). The movement itselfRead MoreHenry David Thoreau And Chris Mccandless Transcendentalism1618 Words   |  7 Pagesbe advised by people to start engaging in the concept of solitude. 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