Transcendentalism

Definition: A literary and philosophical movement, associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, asserting the existence of an ideal spiritual reality that transcends the empirical and scientific and is knowable through intuition. (from the American Heritage Dictionary).

(Further notes to be given in class.)

Period 2 Transcendentalist Excerpts

Period 7 Transcendentalist Excerpts

Nature Writing Assignment: Friday, 4/24/09:

We are going to take a walk and experience nature. You can take notes as we go. When we return, I’d like you to write down what you saw. You may choose one of the following options: (Remember that, as Thoreau said, “The question is not what you look at but what you see.”)

1. NATURE WRITING: Choose a natural phenomenon to observe on our “nature” walk. Write down your observations when we get back, as well as any thoughts you have in reaction to you what you see. Turn this into your own attempt at nature writing. I am interested in the sheer power of pure physical description. Can you capture what you see in words? If your physical description evolves into a description or reflection of a larger issue, great. In other words, if something you see leads you to other thoughts, go with it.

2. WRITE A POEM: Write a nature poem based on something you have seen or observed on our nature walk. Be creative!


 * This assignment will be worth 15 points. Have fun with this, and try to become an honorary transcendentalist for the day!