Henry David Thoreau And Ralph Waldo Emerson's Transcendentalism

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Allowing nature to play a part in one 's daily life is believed by the Transcendentalists to be almost a requirement of life. Henry David Thoreau played a major role in the transcendentalist community and left behind some very impactful beliefs. Ever since he was a child he found himself wanting to be out wandering and exploring the world. He spent most of his life learning about his surrounding and different types of occupations. Most of his works revolved around his belief of nature and god as one eternal being. His poem “Inspiration” best reflects these ideals and principles he holds. Nature was an over-soul that has the power to unite people with their true selves and with others. His impact in the transcendentalist community allowed for others to follow along in his footsteps. His relationship with Ralph Waldo Emerson, another impactful transcendentalist, influenced all of his work and greatly inspired him to play a bigger role as a transcendentalist. Thoreau’s lifestyle of uncertainty and freedom greatly impacts his writing along with writing in a period of racial division all across the country. Thoreau focuses on the value and importance of being inspired and the process of learning to create something from that inspiration. He believed that people could benefit massively by living a simple life that revolved around nature and god. He discovered that nature allowed him to believe in something bigger than himself. It granted him the opportunity to have a connection