|
|
Transcendentalism exposed itself in the beginning of the 19th century. It is not considered an organized religion, nor a philosophical/ literary theory, although it encompasses elements of all three. Transcendentalism began as a literary movement. It brought forth such ideas as individualism, imagination, nature, spiritual well being, as well as self-reliance. Henry David Thoreau was a transcendentalist, incorporating this belief into his literary works. In Walden, his three primary focuses include an enchantment with nature, the importance of living simply, along with the gratifications of being self-reliant. “The transcendentalists insisted on a complete break with tradition and custom, encouraged individualism and self-reliance, and rejected a too-intellectual approach to life.” Self-reliance is economic as well as social at Walden Pond. It stresses the ideals that independence is more valuable than neediness. In economic affairs, he is almost obsessed with the idea that he can support himself through his own labor. He rejected help, wanting to demonstrate the power of self-reliance with his own two hands. In Transcendentalist thought, the person is the complete focal point of reality. Self-reliance therefore refers not just to paying one's own bills, but also more similarly to the way that the entire world relies on the self to exist.
|
