Tyler Wadhams
Transcendentalism is a philosophy that was first introduced in America by a group of writers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Emily Dickenson. It became known through the writings of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau wrote several books, including Walden Pond, which has influenced many people throughout the years. Even after the Transcendentalists, their ideas continue to inspire and affect others today. Ken Ilgunas, a student who attends Duke University, followed Thoreau’s ideas to help him pay for college. Also Christopher McCandless, from the famous book and movie Into the Wild was inspired to live a different lifestyle.
Henry David Thoreau has made Transcendentalism very famous by taking it into his own hands. He used the idea of “stepping off the beaten path” and started to live in the woods. He thought that if people gave up their human obsessions, they would be able to transcend to a higher level of, well, everything. They would see the world through different eyes. They would eat differently, live differently, and even talk differently. Thoreau believes that people can survive off of the four basic essentials; food, shelter, clothing, and fuel. Thoreau also needed to use some money during his stay in the woods. He lived for two years and two months and used roughly 87 dollars. He lived roughly two miles from his original town and would occasionally visit for more supplies. But what Thoreau did was very different than that of Chris “Alexander Supertramp” McCandless, the protagonist from Into the Wild.
The Essay on Thoreau Vs Emerson Ideas Transcendentalism Nature
Transcendentalism is a newly founded belief and practice that involves man's interaction with nature, and the idea that man belongs to a universal spirit known as the oversoul. This idea inspired new ways of thinking among many individuals. Two leaders of this era were Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. These two, whom were good friends and roommates during college, shared many common ...
Into the Wild was based on a true story about a 22 year-old man who had just graduated from Emory University. After his graduation, he decides to give 24,000 dollars to Oxfam, nearly his entire life-savings. Then he set out on a cross-country trip to Alaska, ditching his car along the way in a flash-flood. He then burns the rest of his money and starts to live on the little that he has on his back. He meets people along the way who help him out. His trip to Alaska was a success where he lived in an abandoned van for over 100 days. Yet, on approximately the 112th day, Chris McCandless died from eating a poisonous wild potato root. Supertramp’s experience was based on the philosophy of transcendentalism. Yet, his views differed from Thoreau’s. Supertramp decided to give up on civilized life entirely, while Thoreau still used some of the ways of life and never forgot about his normal life. Supertramp did what he did to escape being persecuted by his family. Thoreau did what he did to prove that he was better than the other “normal” people. Yet, what Supertramp did was very different than what Ken Ilgunas is doing.
Ken Ilgunas is a college student who attends graduate school at Duke University. As an undergraduate, he went over 38,000 dollars in debt. When he decided to go to Duke, he wanted to live debt free. He is a normal person doing normal things. He is getting an education, trying to pay for college, and, oh yeah, living in a van. Ilgunas, after paying off his entire debt, bought a 1994 Ford Econoline, which he now uses as his house in a parking lot not far off campus. He rearranged the inside of the van to accommodate his living spaces. A bed, a kitchen and a somewhat desk could be found inside. These living accommodations are replacing his room and board costs where all he has to pay is his tuition. Originally $3,000 a course, the school was able to knock it down to $1,000 dollars for him. He works 12 hours a week and can easily pay off the tuition while still saving money for food and other essential needs. His views were based on those of Thoreau and Transcendentalism. Unlike McCandless, he purely modifyed his way of life so that he could do the thing he has always wanted to do, while connecting to nature. Yet, his views of connecting to nature were influenced by Chris McCandless survival in Alaska. Ilgunas is still able to connect to nature while staying in contact with the outside world. Ilgunas has been able to transcend to a higher level of living because he was able to connect with nature and survive off of the basic necessities, while staying connected to everyday society.
The Essay on Having friends brings you merits of life; it’s not worth living without a true friend
Having friends brings you merits of life; it’s not worth living without a true friend. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to sapport your answer. Besides love, friendship is a relationship that be honored for thousands of years. Terribly to image that how boring and worthless the life would be without a true friend. Having friends brings merits to people’s daily life, ...
So, transcendentalism is a way of life that helps people connect to nature while transcending to a higher level of living. Many people have practiced it since it was first introduced by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism has also been misinterpreted by its followers. Some people have even died from it, like Chris (Alexander Supertramp) McCandless. Others are using it to help them get to a higher level in life (Ken Ilgunas).
As Emerson and Thoreau were inspirations to them, they too will be inspirations to other future transcendentalists.
