David Thoreau s Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer - 959 Words

Transcendentalism is a movement that began in the 1830s with the thought that important reality is intuitive, rather than taught knowledge. This then forced the idea of individualism being the most important element within society and everything having a godly piece within them. Some major transcendentalist figures include: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Jack London. In the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, many of Christopher McCandless’ experiences on his journey of Alaska were an indication that he was a transcendentalist. Throughout the novel it is clear to identify similarities and differences of the ideology and philosophy conveyed by McCandless within Emerson and Thoreau. Ralph Waldo Emerson, an american†¦show more content†¦Henry David Thoreau was american essayist and poet was a strong leader in the transcendentalist movement. One of Thoreau’s best pieces is â€Å"Where I Live and What I Live for,† which explains the simplicity of life and to live with only life’s absolute necessities to be able to truly enjoy life. There were many similarities connected with the works of Thoreau and McCandless and connection to the ideology of transcendentalism. â€Å"During his senior year at Emory, Chris lived off campus in his bare, spartan room furnished with milk crates and a mattress on the floor. Few of his friends ever say him outside of classes. A professor gave him a key for after-hours access to the library, where he spent much of his free time† (124). The actions that McCandless did connects and exemplifies Thoreau’s philosophy, â€Å"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say let your affairs be as two o r three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on a thumbnail. In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and the storms and quicksand and through sands and- one items to be allowed for† (Thoreau, â€Å"Where I Lived and What I Lived For†). The first passage expresses how McCandless would not need excessive physical possessions in his life to live. This relates to Thoreau’s idea on how people of transcendentalism simply live their lives and avoid making matters more complex withShow MoreRelatedThe Five Is of of Transcendentalism in the Modern Day1187 Words   |  5 Pagesthere is music, there is a lesson to be learned through ideas that Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau created. Though transcendentalism is a relatively foreign word to most, it can be defined by using five is: individualism, inspiration, intuition, idealism and imagination which are displayed on a ll platforms of music today. The different music genres may vary between music from the late 1990s and childrens movies today. The constantly growing and changing world is trying its best toRead MoreAnalysis Of Christopher Mccandless s Into The Wild 2362 Words   |  10 Pagesterritories. A similar experience actually occurred in real life , and hence a fantastic novel was born by the story of a young man with a seemingly bright future, who soon endured the journey of a lifetime. The well known novel â€Å"Into the Wild† by Jon Krakauer is based on the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man from a wealthy family in the Eastern United States, who, after graduating from Emory University, donated all his available money to charity and embarked on a trip through theRead MoreSimplicity Is The Transcendentalism1821 Words   |  8 Pagesidea is at the core of the transcendentalist movement, undertaken by true naturists such as Henry David Thoreau and Christopher McCandless. Thoreau detailed the thought-provoking euphoria associated with simplicity in his book Walden. Over a century later, McCandless took those principles and lived whole-heatedly by them, right until his untimely death; a story portrayed by Jon Krakauer s Into the Wild. The philosophy these societal critics developed in the midst of a materialistic revolution propelledRead MoreMccandless Vs Transcendentalism1840 Words   |  8 PagesAlaska or Bust: The Two Men That Believed Alaska Had All the Answers As Christopher Johnson McCandless once said: â€Å"The core of mans’ spirit comes from new experiences† (Krakauer, 57). Society has given the majority of the human population a predetermined cookie-cutter lifestyle for which they must follow in order to be accepted. This includes which virtues to follow, how to interact with others, and what is and what is it not acceptable. For many people, fitting into this mold is the only way they