Isabella Domidion
Challenge 1
Mrs. Monsanto
4/6/2017
Moana and Santiago “It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Complete Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. This quote by the beloved author Ralph Waldo Emerson, means that when a person is surrounded by the facts of the world and people in it, it is very easy for us to fall into the trap of imitation. Imitation, in trying to be someone you’re not. But when in solitude, (being alone), it is easier for us to not follow the ways of the world and be ourselves. This quote relates to both the lives and stories of two people, Moana from the Disney movie, and Santiago for the book Old Man and the Sea, written by transcendentalist Ernest Hemingway. Moana is a girl from a small village in ancient Polynesia, who has always done what her father requested and has been trained her whole life to take the place of her father and become the tribes next chief and leader. But like Santiago, she longs to be on the water. She wants to be independent and not have to depend on someone for her needs. Santiago has a bit of a different background. He
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Transcendentalism is a belief in which you don’t depend on anyone but yourself and whatever you feel is necessary, you do it, no matter what others say. Santiago more than moana, though she was very independent and wanted to prove she could do it on her own. He had more desire to depend on himself rather than others. Moana depended on a man named Maui. He was a demigod. A man that was very known in the village that moana was from but he was also known well in all of Polynesia. She depended on him to teach her to sail and depended on him to restore the heart of tafiti. Therefore Santiago was a bit more independent than
Santiago is an old fisherman who lives in a small coast town in Cuba. At the time that Hemingway wrote the story, he was also an elderly gentlemen and was such an avid fisherman throughout his life, that books such as "Ernest Hemingway, The Angler As Artist” were written on the sole subject of how this obsession influenced Hemingway's writing. Furthermore, he fished off the coast of Cuba so much that he decided to "buy the 'Finca Vigia' in Cuba, a substantial estate located about fifteen miles from downtown Havana . . .” For entertainment Santiago would "read the baseball." Meanwhile Hemingway often "relied on baseball analogies” in his writing, suggesting that he also loved the game. These similarities between Santiago's lifestyle and Hemingway's cannot be ignored or passed off as coincidence because they are much too precise. Already, from these prominent identical traits it is evident that Hemingway modeled the character of Santiago after his own person.
What is transcendentalism? Webster says transcendentalism is a philosophy that says that thought and spiritual things are more real than ordinary human experience and material things. The more simplified definition of it is the idea that our spirits have deep connection with. We are more "in tune" with nature and our mood is depicted by nature. So people can come to the conclusion that the “going green” movement and being “eco-friendly” is all a part of transcendentalism, and people who support these movements are transcendentalists. Leonardo DiCaprio, a multi millionaire, lives his life eco-friendly, and donates millions of dollars to protect our environment. By doing this, he is showing that he values the environment and nature more than he values material items, which is part of being a transcendentalist. DiCaprio is also an advocate for the gay rights movement. The other part of being a transcendentalist is the independence of the individual; and in today’s society the gay rights movement has become a great deal and the supporters of gay rights can be considered transcendentalists because homosexuality is interlinked with independence of the individual, which is stressed by transcendentalism.
Transcendentalism to some is may just be a long, lengthy word coined two hundred years ago that is not used today, but to other people, people like Chris McCandless, it is a way of life. They use these qualities to shape their life and strive hard to follow them. Chris McCandless was so focused on embodying the qualities of transcendentalism that he failed to see how much danger he was putting himself in. He had little to no common sense as shown by Westerberg. “But there were gaps in his thinking. I remember once I went over to the house, walked into the kitchen, and noticed a god-awful stink. I mean it smelled nasty in there. I opened the microwave, and the bottom of it was filled with rancid grease. Alex had been using it to cook chicken, and it never occurred to him that the grease had to drain somewhere. It wasn’t that he was too lazy to clean it up- Alex always kept things real neat and orderly- it was just that he hadn’t noticed the grease” (Krakauer 45). McCandless embodied the values of transcendentalism by believing in living closer to nature, believing in the dignity of manual labor, and being self reliant.
Transcendentalism as a whole can be condensed to the core belief that nature, pure and untainted by man, is inherently good and transcends human boundaries. In history, the true idea of transcendentalism is often clouded by numerous conflicting beliefs and definitions. Some believe that merely existing is transcendental in itself, whereas others believe that a person must work towards the spiritual aspect of transcendentalism (Buell 3). Henry David Thoreau and Ralph
Transcendentalist believe in the natural man. One who is self-reliant, uncorrupted and one with nature. God is in everything but nothing in particular. "...that great nature in which we rest ... that Unity, that Over-Soul, within which every man's particular being is contained and made one with all other. . . . We live in succession, in division, in parts, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole; the wise silence; the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is equally related; the eternal ONE." (Emerson, "The Over-Soul"). Becoming unified with nature and God. To not let the wrong doings of people in society affect you and live as if you are good and just. Always being aware of what is going on around you. Being as in tune with God and nature, as if you were listening to two teenage girls gossip. "Among democratic nations each generation is a new people."(Alexis de Tocqueville). Transcendentalism has survived because of close relationships with those around you and the teachings of ancestors who may or may not have been extremists. As children grow to be adults they have a tendency to learn and use the teachings/concepts they were raised by, implementing them into their children's lives."The order of nature contains supreme principles, either divine or intrinsic, and we will be wise to learn about them and find the means to conform to them." (Rawls, "Theory of Justice"). Seek to gain a knowledge an...
Transcendentalism was born between the 18th and the early 20th century. It's a philosophy of individualism and self-reliance. Transcendentalists strongly believed in the power of the individual. Their beliefs are intently linked with those of the romantics but varied by an endeavor to embrace or to not abjure the factual science. Additionally, they believed that society and its institution primarily manipulated the integrity of the individual.
Transcendentalism is a movement that practiced morals that were seen as unorthodox. Two of the major premises that shaped the life of a Transcendentalist were the presence of God in nature and empowering individualism. Both of these tenants proved their importance by continuing to influence modern society, life, and thought. These influences have demonstrated to provide a positive impact. They have led to both advancements and reform unto which have improved our way of life. Without these valuable principles, this modern era would not be where it is at today.
Transcendentalism is the American literary, philosophical, and political movement of the early nineteenth century. This movement had a large focus on the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was considered
...ed to an optimistic emphasis on individualism, self-reliance, and rejection of traditional authority” (American 1). The major players in the transcendentalist movement are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. They shared ideas such as self-reliance, and ideas about how there is a divine being that controls every person. They influenced many other writers and they even had an effect on the American society, then and now. Transcendentalism was a philosophy and a way of life. It will continue to be this as long as we have access to the great minds of the transcendental movement.
Transcendentalism is living and communicating simply and in nature to find yourself. Chris McCandless can be seen as a transcendentalist in the book Into the Wild. Jon Krakauer tells the story of Christopher McCandless, who in June of 1990, set out on an adventure around the continent. After traveling all over and living on his own for two years, Chris decides to hitchhike up north to live off the Alaskan coast, 4 months later, Christopher was found dead. Though Chris’s adventure was fatal, his beliefs and actions throughout the book were undoubtable those of a transcendentalist.
Transcendentalism is a social, religious, and literary movement: a philosophy. Combining elements from the romantic period with eastern philosophical beliefs, it sought to fight against rationalism and conformism by inspiring individuals to look into their inner selves and embrace their own beliefs. One of the spearheads leading this movement was Ralph Waldo Emerson: an American writer and philosopher who sought to teach others what he himself had found. Transcendalists, such as Emerson, viewed society as a catalyst for downfall and instead believed that humans were inherently good and pure; embracing our inner feelings and emotions and ignoring expectations and conformity are essential to achieve happiness and fulfillment. Such ideas can
Transcendentalism was a religious movement that started in the late 1820s and 1830s. The main focus of transcendentalism was the perfection and goodness of a human being, nature, and the universe; it was also thought independence brought about the best in people. It was presumed that society was the cause of the corruption of purity in a person. Anti- Transcendentalism was a more realistic view of the world. They thought man was capable of evil as well as easily being deceived and their proneness to sin and self-destruction. Anti- Transcendentalists believed that making decisions solely on logic will create a negative effect in actions and thoughts.
Transcendentalism was a movement that began in the 1830s through the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. It has to do with self reliance, nature and the connection between man, God, and nature. It tells you to listen to oneself and go by one's own choices instead of what society tells one to do. It shows the beauty in nature and all of what can come out of it. People today often don't think that way anymore and have argued that Transcendentalism has died out over the years. However, one may need to take into account modern conception of individuality and the beauty of nature. Transcendentalism has not died out and is still thriving in American culture through music of Twisted Sisters, Nirvana, kendrick Lamar, and The Beatles
Transcendentalism is where people feel empowered and their surroundings surpass their five senses. Where intuition and imagination overpower logic and reason. There are five tenets that go along with transcendentalism: non conformity, self-reliance, free thought, confidence, and importance of nature. Non conformity is failure or refusal to conform to a prevailing rule or practice. Self-reliance is reliance on one's own powers and resources rather than those of others. Free thought is anything you think and express unaffected by other people's views. Confidence is the state of feeling certain about the truth of something. The importance of nature is where people need nature to relieve their feelings and connect to their home. Qualities of transcendentalism
Santiago can be compared to a Christ figure on the basis of his relationships with other characters in the novel. People look up to Santiago, as would a follower to Christ, hereby setting up a comparison between the two. (transition) Since the age of five, Manolin has aided the old man by working alongside him as an apprentice. Manolin is loyal to Santiago and looks up to him as if Santiago was his real father. According to Delbert Wylder, "Santiago has, in a sense been the boy’s spiritual father" ( 219). Manolin is in awe of the old man, who the town recognizes as an honorable fisherman. The boy states, "There are many good fishermen and some great ones. But there is only you." Like Santiago, Christ was also a spiritual father to his town; the town of Bethlehem. He performed miracles to heal the sick, and fed thousands of starving people. As Jim Auer says, "This demonstrates Santiago’s relation to Christ. They are both extremely unique, and were father figures in their communities" (15). ?The people of Bethlehem looked up to Christ as a father figure, and they had love and admiration towards him.? Likewise, "The love of Manolin for Santiago is that of a discipline for a master in the arts of fishing, it is also the love of a son for an adopted father" (Wagner-Martin 307). Through Manolin’s caring of the old man, he shows his love for Santiago. Even though Santiago is not Manolin’s biological father, he cares for him as though he was. "The old man was asleep in the chair and the sun was down. The boy took the old army blanket off the bed and spread it over the back of the chair and over the old man’s shoulders… and when he woke up he fed him supper" (...