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Examples Of Transcendentalism In Into The Wild

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A Soon to Be Transcendentalist What is a transcendentalist? How is Chris “Alexander” McCandless a “true” transcendentalist? A transcendentalist is someone who believes in a philosophy that consists of being a non-conformist, being one with nature, and rejecting materialism. Throughout Krakauer’s novel, Into the Wild, it just occurs that McCandless achieves all of the above. “Whoso would be a man, must be a non-conformist” (Emerson). McCandless defied society by, living in the wild and rarely cared about possessions. Chris McCandless is a true transcendentalist because he existed off the land in Alaska, the west coast, Mexico and he did not want to have any else but happiness in life; he found this through his experiences in wilderness. In Emerson’s Self-Reliance it states, “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of ever on its members.” To conform to …show more content…

Nobody knew Chris had plans like these. During Chris’s time working at McDonalds, …show more content…

Chris’s experiences with not wearing socks, living in slabs where there were a lot of so called rejects. Then leaving Slabs to go worshipped/ live in nature, which lead to his downfall. Everything offered to Chris during his Transcendentalist state he rejected all of it. “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth, I sat at a table where were rich food and wine in abundance, an obsequious attendance, but sincerity and truth were not; and I went away hungry from the inhospitable board. The hospitality was as cold as the ices” (Krakuer 117). Chris left his family on a journey to find the truth. Chris just wanted happiness, and wanted everything to be safe and sound. Chris was a transcendentalist, he wished to be happy, free’ d of all things and in the

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McCandless’s self-reliance is a big part of identifying him as transcendentalist. In the short story, “Death of an Innocent”, Chris says, “I've decided that I'm going to live this life for some time to come. The freedom and simple beauty of it is just too good to pass up.” McCandless feels that life should not be wasted doing what you do not love, and shows this by traveling and living off the land every chance he gets. Transcendentalists take in all of what nature has to give them by becoming one with it; like McCandless does throughout the story.

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If there is one person in the past or present that lived a truly transcendental life, many would say it was Alexander Supertramp, otherwise known as Chris McCandless. Throughout the 1990s, this man took transcendentalism to a new level that not many people in this day and age had seen before. In different points in his life, he exhibited all 8 of the main keys of transcendentalism. This paper will touch on just three of those, starting with reducing dependence on property. This is probably the number one key that is seen the most from McCandless in Into The Wild.

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In the 19th and 20th century transcendentalism was a new and exciting topic that caused tremendous controversy. In the novel Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless was a man with a very unique character. In more detailed words Chris McCandless was a transcendentalist. His actions and moods played a big part in his life, from beginning to end. He was a transcendentalist because of his self-reliance, confidence and non-conformity.

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Respect is very important to Chris, though it is apparent that Chris wanted to be absolutely clear to his parents that they did not have his respect. A short time before Chris vanished from his family’s sight, he wrote to Carine saying that he would “be through with them[his parents] once and for all, forever”(64). The very fact that he knew exactly what he was doing and was not apologetic in the slightest proves that he was quite selfish in terms of his parents as he never looked back. He wanted to escape the life that his parents desperately wanted so that he very carefully calculate his disappearance. Billie McCandless(Chris’s mother) informed Krakauer that Chris had instructed the post office to hold them until August 1, apparently so we wouldn’t know anything was up” (22) When Bille speaks of “them:” she was referencing the numerous letters that her and Walt sent to Chris during the entire summer after Chris graduated from Emory.

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Alexandra Coleman Ms. Smith Major American Authors, 1st hour 16 April 2015 Transcendentalism in Dead Poets Society Transcendentalism is extremely prominent in the 1989 film, Dead Poets Society. The idea of Transcendentalism can be defined as any given philosophy that says spiritual things and thoughts are more realistic than human ideas or experiences; this philosophy emphasizes how spiritual experiences and ideas are more valuable than the empirical. Transcendentalism stresses the beliefs that the truth is in all of creation, while the knowledge of the truth is distorted. It also gives an over soul, which forms the idea that the divinity of ones spirit or mind is in nature as well as ones self.

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"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”- Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that revolves around self-reliance and independence, commonly in nature, a Transcendentalist wants to find the true meaning in life. I believe that Chris McCandless was a Transcendentalist because he was able to leave his whole life behind and take on a minimalist lifestyle while having a strong relationship with god. However, I believe that I am not a Transcendentalist, but simply an adventurer.

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“ All men recognize the right of revolution”- Thoreau. This quote means that at one point everyone will recognize who they are and who they are gonna become. Dead Poets Society demonstrates non-conformity, human potential, and respect for nature which are all traits of transcendentalism. The movie Dead Poets Society it based on a new English teacher who reaches out in different ways at an all boys school in which leads students to show who they really are. There are many ways the movie Dead poets Society shows transcendentalism with various ways throughout the movie.

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Henry David Thoreau, Jon Krakauer, and Chris McCandless embrace Transcendentalism. Mainly Chris’ and Thoreau’s belief about it. Both try to find themselves and the adventure of nature. In Into the Wild, Krakauer has the same beliefs as Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau want to find themselves, especially in nature. The first comment of transcendental beliefs is Chris McCandless was finding himself.

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The book, Into The Wild, provides the most popular and detailed outline of Chris McCandless’ adventures. Through the examination of this book, it can be seen that Chris McCandless is a transcendentalist. A transcendentalist is a person who seeks to find their relation to the universe through a direct relationship with God and nature and believes in the tenets of transcendentalism. The validity of McCandless being a transcendentalist can be seen in his time in the Detrital Valley. In addition to examining whether McCandless is a transcendentalist, it is helpful to self-reflect and determine if I am a transcendentalist.

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Transcendentalism is to find your inner self and deepest intuitions in nature. Out of John Krakauer the author of Into the Wild and Christopher McCandless, who has more transcendentalist ideas? I believe Mcandless has far more transcendentalist ideas than Krakauer, due to Mcandless’s hate for society, his self-reliance, and his true connection with nature. First of all, McCandless has a hatred towards society and as a result stays away from it as much as he can, while on the other hand, Krakauer fully supports and relies on society. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance, he mentions, “Society everywhere is in a conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.

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687 Words | 3 Pages

When I was little my mother would try to feed me baby food; I would refuse it. After weeks of my father and mother trying to force me to eat baby food, My mother started to feed me Spaghetti O’s and softer foods so I would eat. This showed non-conformity because I rebelled against baby food. Another way non-conformity and other transcendentalism traits are shown in the movie the Dead Poets’ Society. It is about a couple of boys who go to Welton Academy and they meet a different kind of teacher named Mr. Keating.

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so, he decided to hide for civilization. Well, the true is he was not crazy or lazy. He was living a transcendental life. Transcendentalism is a simple way of life that helps one better understand nature. Specific examples of transcendentalism will be explained from McCandless’s life and also my personal opinions regarding transcendentalism.

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Transcendental ideas are valuable in today’s society to some extent because they can teach one to appreciate what really matters and to look at the big picture; these ideas, if applied correctly, can better one’s life overall. In the movie Into the Wild, Chris McCandless lives a transcendental life and although the majority of the things he does are extreme, the ideas he lives by could be valuable in today’s society. In writings by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, transcendental notions that could benefit one’s quality of life are discernible. The transcendental theme in both the movie and the readings teach one, that the good things in life can only truly be appreciated if bad things are also present, to not give into the petty

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Chris also knows money makes people cautious which is why he doesn 't need it. Chris burns all of his money and gives some to charity because he thinks money and power are an

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Transcendentalism is the belief that man is inherently good, is an independent thinker, and goes out into nature to get in touch with himself. Generally, man has good intentions and intends no harm unto others. In addition, man does not need society to give him and develop his thoughts, as he already has them within. To help bring out these already installed beliefs, man has the desire to go out into nature to get in touch with himself and find deeper notions within. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writings “Self Reliance” and “American Scholar”, he writes about how being a true individual means that one must have his own beliefs, and not copy someone else’s ideas.

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