An Ever-Changing American Experience

Self Reflections• Pick up the sheet provided and prepare to

move outside for class.• Using the questions provided, generate

responses in your ISN.• After 10-20 minutes, share your ideas with a

group of at least 2 peers.• Discuss as a whole group…• Review tenets of transcendentalism

Themes of Transcendentalism

Universal Spirit:Diving energy in all living things called the universal spirit, universal consciousness, over-soul, or God. This universal spirit gave all life meaning and purpose. From it came all truth, beauty, and goodness. Self-Reliance/ Intuition:Seek God by looking inward. Individuals should rely on their own heart and moral compass to guide their lives. He advised followers to “trust your intuition,” since the source of this insight was God.Self and Society:Rejected the Puritan belief that all humans are born as sinful creatures; much more optimistic view that all men and women possessed a natural capacity to do good and for society to progress. Transcendentalists believed that social activism was a direct result of an increased relationship with God and self.Direct Relationship with God and Nature:Belief that man had removed himself too far from enjoying, appreciating, and learning from Nature. They believed that in nature you could fully commune with God and learn of your relationship in the world, giving up modern conveniences in favor of using your mind to help you learn higher truths about the human experience.

Historical Background• From 1840-1855, literature in America experienced a rebirth called 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 than that of European authors.

• Transcendentalism was a part of this "flowering" of American literature. • Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were important voices

in this 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 the essential truths of life through intuition.

• Emerson was the philosopher and teacher. Thoreau was the student and the practitioner.

Transcendentalism Definition

• PERIOD 2:– A set of beliefs or a philosophy that enlightens the

spiritual being of the individual who is connected with nature and at peace with the world around him/her.

Transcendentalism Definition

• PERIOD 3:– Coexistence of the individual, God, and nature, free

from societal and materialistic corruption– A belief that God can be found through self-

reflection and lead to enlightenment of the spirit

• My version of your definition:– A belief in the coexistence of the individual, God,

and nature that leads to enlightenment of the spirit… (just sayin’…)

TranscendentalistsRalph Waldo Emerson• Prominent Unitarian minister, left the church to seek a more meaningful

religious experience• Argued that individuals could discover truth and God within themselves

without belonging to a church or holding to a particular set of religious beliefs

• Formed a discussion group with other men and women who had also broken from the church who accepted Emerson’s idea that truth“ transcends” (or goes beyond) what people observe with their senses in the physical world.

• Group names the Transcendental Club - soon they established a new religious, philosophical, and literary movement.

• Transcendentalists first focused on the “inner self”, then many later became involved in social reform.

READINGS/ACTIVITIES• Read “Nature” excerpt, p. 388• Discuss these questions with your table:

1. What different moods does Emerson note in the excerpt?

2. How is nature connected to these moods?

3. What effect does nature have on Emerson? What does he mean when he says "I become a transparent eyeball"?

4. In what ways does Emerson connect nature, humankind, and God?

5. In what way does Nature serve as a teacher?

6. How is nature portrayed as noble? As a source of comfort?

7. How are human beings represented as part of nature?

8. What can human beings learn from nature? How does this learning affect the individual's spirituality?

READINGS/ACTIVITIES• Read “Self Reliance” excerpt, p. 391• In your notebook, “chunk” the text – write a

summary for each paragraph you have read:– Paragraph 1:– Paragraph 2:… etc… through paragraph 5

• Include key phrases/ideas that emphasize the meaning of each chunk.

• Share with your group and be prepared for class discussion.

BR: IDENTIFY TEXT SUPPORT• Choose a quote(s) from the excerpt(s) that

reveals Emerson’s thinking about the relationship between humans and nature.

• Be sure to keep in mind the 10 tenets of transcendentalism.

• Complete the chart that has been given to you with these quotes from the text.

• Be sure to staple the sheet in your ISN – we will continue to use it for Thoreau and other pieces we read throughout this unit.

TranscendentalistsHenry David Thoreau• Joined Emerson’s circle of Transcendental friends, and built a hut at

Walden Pond on property owned by Emerson. He lived off the land, meditated, and wrote about nature.

• Began to stop paying his taxes in protest against slavery. The tax collector ignored his tax evasion until Thoreau began to publicly condemn the U.S. invasion and occupation of Mexico.

• He was then arrested for tax evasion and spent a night in jail. • Wrote his famous essay, “Civil Disobedience” after this night in jail. • Minor act of defiance led him to conclude that it was not enough to

simply be against slavery and the war but instead, needed to act.• Unlike other advocates of civil disobedience like Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Thoreau did not rule out using violence against an unjust government.

READING/ACTIVITY• “Walden” excerpt, page• Meet with 7 o’clock to discuss:– How is Thoreau practicing the philosophy Emerson writes

about in our previous excerpts?– What do you perceive as the connection between the two –

Emerson as teacher, Thoreau as practitioner?– Record any quotes that stand out to you on your graphic

organizer.– Return to initial answers in our beginning session and

discuss how you see those questions now that we have gained an understanding of transcendentalism.

– Let’s define transcendentalism together…

Poetry of the Transcendentalists• Emily Dickinson • Walt Whitman

• Working in teams of 2-3, read the poems of either poet listed.

• After reading the selected texts, create a literary “portrait” of the author. Include information you learned on the preview, a summary of each of the poems, symbolism and/or greater meaning in each poem, the writer’s attitude towards his/her subject, the world around them, and the people in it, and emphasize what transcendental tenets are present..

TranscendentalistsTranscendental influence went beyond literature:Transcendental reformers took Emerson’s advice to “Be an opener of doors for those who come after us;” and they were able to open doors for many others to discover their own paths to a better America. Transcendental ideas later opened the door for the abolition of slavery, women’s rights, progressive education, and in the 1960’s, Martin Luther King,Jr. and anti-Vietnam war activists revived Transcendental arguments for civil disobedience.

Let’s take a modern look… COMICS

• As a class, let’s view the comic and discuss the transcendental tenets at work.

• In teams of 2-3, assign the following roles: summarizer, connector, transcendental seeker

• Work with your team as you read through the comic selection provided.

• Choose two comics that stands out to the group and discuss its use of transcendental thinking.

• Complete the chart provided by fulfilling your role on the assignment.

• As a class, listen to the songs offered as transcendental thinking and follow along with the lyrics

• As a group, choose the one you feel is most connected to the tenets of the transcendentalists and explain why

• With your group, identify the number of songs that equals the number of people in your group (each person should choose one!)

• Listen to each one, decide if it works for our class purposes. If it does, complete the chart as assigned. If not, find a new choice to move forward with.

• Turn in one sheet per group.

Let’s take a modern look… SONGS

SONG LINKS

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1AesMfIf8&safe=active

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO9Qa7MpAvw&safe=active

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfXwmDGJAB8&list=PLIcdnrbI8Sk7WWG5hRKckeHhyKR2tmIt1&safe=active

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlkSepPTLUc&safe=active

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHmy2e4rxqM&safe=active