Thoreau and Transcendentalism Essay -- Civil Disobedience, Transcenden

Followers of the Transcendentalist movement stressed the religious, philosophic and ideological importance of life. Henry David Thoreau was a staunch supporter of the movement. Thoreau matt-up that a person lived a ethical life by following his conscience and instincts. He also matte up that materialism was a certain(p) way to distract a person from leading a good and moral life. Thoreau proposed for the government to be involved in as puny of a citizens life as possible he felt in addition much government control just complicated a persons life. a analogous most Transcendentalists, Thoreau believed there was a direct connection to God with nature. If a person appreciated nature he would gain a higher understanding of God. Finally, Thoreau encouraged unmarriedity versus conformity to the situation quo.Thoreau challenged his readers to watch nature first hand he felt to truly run into nature was a way of experiencing God and marveled at the happiness it endure bring . In his novel Walden he writes of the happiness and contentment he feels age listening to the birds in the chapter titled Sounds. His happiness is short-lived when it is interrupted by the sound of a train driving through the countryside. The reader gathers that, like many Transcendentalists, Thoreau is against the Industrial Revolution taking place in America. He felt this industrialization would poison nature and complicate life even more than it already was. The poisoning of nature would effect the connection a person could have with God as well.Thoreau wrote about living a simple and uncomplicated life in Walden. He argues against the things that mark status in American society, owning land, dressing in fashion, and earning a high pay. Thoreau profound th... ...be content with just being average. He states that each person who explores themselves exit be individual from one an new(prenominal). Each person should be concerned with only his business and motivations . Individuality was important to Thoreau. He had no concerns of what other people thought about his actions or ways of living and felt this made his life less complicated and simpler to concentrate on more important things.Thoreau was truly a Transcendentalist. He focused on the individual and the relationship he has with himself, nature, and God. He felt living simply and evidently would free him to gain a greater understanding of the world near him. Understanding of the world around you could only come after gaining a greater understanding of yourself. Once a person let bulge of the constraints of society were they free to begin to explore themselves and the world.