Essay On Transcendentalism

The surge of optimism that clothed the American nation as a result of the vast progress in expansion and reform also applied to American literature. The 19th-century brought massive technological developments, which led to new literary advancements. Weaning off of Romantic ideals, a new era emerged and its philosophies have become an integral part of American opinion. Transcendentalism is not considered as a religion but rather as a philosophical movement, with Ralph Waldo Emerson as the founder and leader. Emerson went to Harvard and worked as a teacher and minister until he lost faith in many parts of the current Christian belief ideology and left the church. Many years later he challenged the broadly accepted principles of that time and introduced new ideologies that fueled the transcendentalism movement. Characteristics of transcendentalism include: “basic truths of the universe lay buried in a man’s knowledge through his developed senses

But it has never been more so in the modern society. In today's pop culture, there is ample evidence of the influence of non- conformity and self-reliance. Many songs such as “Firework”, “Sit Still, Look Pretty", “Me, Myself, and I" showcase that every person has their own equal worth and that they do not need to conform to what someone else thinks or depend on anyone else in order to be happy. In many popular children’s shows, cartoon characters emphasize individuality, whether it be by acting or looking different. Today’s society urges all people to get rid of stereotypes and work hard in order to succeed. “Trust thyself, every heart vibrates to that iron ring" (“Self-Reliance") Though no one is the same, everyone is connected but are meant to live different lives. There is no need to follow the crowd. Instead, as transcendentalists once proclaimed, all people must never conform to society because true happiness comes from being an