Transcendentalism's Legacy Essay: Pre-Writing
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This post should help you not only reflect on the Emerson and Thoreau texts we've read in class, but also to generate ideas for your upcoming essay. As noted on the assignment sheet, for this essay, you must identify and describe at least two contemporary works of literature, film, music, dance, performance or visual art in which you perceive the influence of Transcendentalism. You will analyze how these works of art explore the same themes and/or make similar arguments to those in texts by Emerson and Thoreau.
So, as a warm-up, for this post, please describe in one-two paragraphs one work of contemporary American literature, film, music, dance, performance or visual art that reflects views similar to those of Emerson and/or Thoreau on at least one of the following themes:
* the ability of youth to perceive and express truth
* the importance of non-conformity
* the importance of self-reliance
* the dangers of restricting one’s beliefs to those endorsed by traditional institutions
* the power of passive resistance as a form of activism
* solitude’s role in assisting the individual to achieve self-reliance and/or a true understanding of self
* living simply as a path to achieving self-knowledge and/or a better understanding of the world as a whole
* nature as locus for self-actualization and/or connection to a divine force
* the existence of a single uniting spiritual force that inspires individuals
To score in the 8-10 range on this post, you must describe specific details from your chosen work of contemporary art that illustrate the theme(s) above *and* include direct quotes or detailed paraphrases (use the author-page number MLA format for in-text citations) from the Emerson and/or Thoreau texts we've read for class. In addition, you must explain how these details and quotations show the similarities (and any differences) between the Transcendentalist texts and your chosen work of art.
Do your best work on this post; the time and effort will pay off when you use it as the basis for your upcoming essay.
You may begin generating ideas for the post in class today, BUT…
Save your response in Word first; you cannot edit a posted response after one hour has passed!
POST DUE: 11:59 pm on Monday, October 6
So, as a warm-up, for this post, please describe in one-two paragraphs one work of contemporary American literature, film, music, dance, performance or visual art that reflects views similar to those of Emerson and/or Thoreau on at least one of the following themes:
* the ability of youth to perceive and express truth
* the importance of non-conformity
* the importance of self-reliance
* the dangers of restricting one’s beliefs to those endorsed by traditional institutions
* the power of passive resistance as a form of activism
* solitude’s role in assisting the individual to achieve self-reliance and/or a true understanding of self
* living simply as a path to achieving self-knowledge and/or a better understanding of the world as a whole
* nature as locus for self-actualization and/or connection to a divine force
* the existence of a single uniting spiritual force that inspires individuals
To score in the 8-10 range on this post, you must describe specific details from your chosen work of contemporary art that illustrate the theme(s) above *and* include direct quotes or detailed paraphrases (use the author-page number MLA format for in-text citations) from the Emerson and/or Thoreau texts we've read for class. In addition, you must explain how these details and quotations show the similarities (and any differences) between the Transcendentalist texts and your chosen work of art.
Do your best work on this post; the time and effort will pay off when you use it as the basis for your upcoming essay.
You may begin generating ideas for the post in class today, BUT…
Save your response in Word first; you cannot edit a posted response after one hour has passed!
POST DUE: 11:59 pm on Monday, October 6
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