Transcendentalism as a form of social criticism and protest Transcend: to go beyond

What is transcendentalism? Philosophy that began in the 1830’s Mostly consisted of New Englanders (i.e. Transcendental Club of Boston, headed by Ralph Waldo Emerson) Struggled with how to define spirituality and religion Developed as a protest to the general state of culture and society (disillusionment) Broadened into a literary and artistic movement as well

Characteristics of transcendentalism Transcendentalists believed that… God gave humankind the gifts of intuition, insight, and imagination There is inherent goodness and truth in both humans and nature The soul of each individual is identical with the soul of the world and contains what the world contains (Over-Soul) Society and its institutions—particularly organized religion and political parties—ultimately corrupt the purity of the individual Humans are at their best when truly "self-reliant" and independent. It is only from such real individuals that true community could be formed. Our judgment can be clouded by outside forces (materialism) Social reform movements such as women’s rights and anti-slavery campaigns were worthy causes

These radical ideas of the time… profoundly influenced American literature, as it became more reflective and inspired by nature and experience (took on a journal-writing style) championed the individualism and self-reliance that America became known for

Was a reaction to… Rationalism Manifest Destiny Calvinism (i.e. Puritanism)

Has its roots in… German idealism and philosophy, specifically Immanuel Kant Romanticism

Famous American Transcendentalists Ralph Waldo Emerson – wrote essays “Nature” and “Self-Reliance” Henry David Thoreau – wrote book Walden and essay “Civil Disobedience” Louisa May Alcott – wrote Little Women Nathaniel Hawthorne – wrote The Scarlet Letter (although he is widely known as an anti- transcendentalist as well) Walt Whitman – poet Emily Dickinson – poet John Muir – founded the Sierra Club and devoted his life to the preservation of forests Jack London- American author who wrote The Call of the Wild and White Fang

Letter to peers (10 min) Write a letter to your group members about the transcendentalist text you were assigned. Address it to “fellow 11IB student” or something else general and sign your name at the end. In the letter, discuss your interpretation of the text, making sure to clearly note the author and the work. Discuss most the following, using specific examples: What main issues does the text address? In what ways does language shape the piece? (you may want to consider the quotes from the graphic organizer, or others you found enlightening) What does this text reveal about social criticism and protest? What is its relevance today? Was there anything about the text that you personally related to or especially appreciated?

Letter responses (5 min) Rotate the letters through your group in order to read and provide a brief response to one other letter. Skip a line from where the person left off or attach a separate paper if needed. You may respond however you like, but make sure to explain yourself and expand upon the original letter writer’s thoughts- don’t just say “I agree” or “I disagree”.

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Identify two transcendentalist principles that you think are touched upon in the play, with at least one quote to support the existence of each principle. Identify and explain one parallel you see between the issues discussed in the play and the issues of the late 1960s (think back to the documentary clips we watched), with at least one quote to support the existence of this parallel. Overall reflection on how transcendentalism gets expressed differently through different genres we read: In what ways does the genre of reflective essays (like “Nature”, “Self-Reliance, etc.) allow for a unique expression of social criticism & protest? How does poetry express these ideals? How does the genre of play/drama express protest? Which genre do you find the most effective and why?

Unit 3 Silent Seminar Questions (if we get to it) In your opinion, how strong is each transcendentalist text you read on the spectrum of social criticism/protest? [Nature/Self-Reliance/Walden/Civil Disobedience/Dickinson and Whitman poems/play about Thoreau] In what ways does the writing style/genre of reflective essays and poetry allow for a unique expression of social criticism & protest? How does the genre of play/drama allow protest to be expressed differently? What is the relevance today of Transcendentalism as a form of social criticism? How has it endured in your opinion? What evidence do you see of it around you? Thinking of your independent assignments on protest movements and perhaps Catcher as well, why does language and genre matter in general when it comes to expressing protest?