Dead Poets Society: Examples Of Transcendentalism In Dead Poet Society

Transcendental Connections between Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and Chris McCandless in John Krakauer’s Into the Wild Henry David Thoreau, Jon Krakauer, and Chris McCandless are all strong believers in Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a 19th century philosophy that values self-wisdom, individualism, and non-conformity. Both Thoreau and McCandless embrace these ideas greatly. Chris’s actions in Into the Wild show that the transcendental beliefs of Thoreau were important to him.

“He had always been ambivalent about killing animals… Believing that it was morally indefensible to waste any part of an animal that has been shot for food…” (166) This demonstrates that Chris loves nature because he feels bad for killing the Moose and he doesn’t want to let any of an animal to go to waste. One of the key characteristics about transcendentalist is they believe in not letting anything go to waste. “I am reborn.

Oscar Wilde once said, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Wilde’s quote is describing, in whole, the laborious idea of transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a simple way of living life that promotes reducing the dependence on property, self expression, and the goodness of human and respect for other beauty. Starring in the book Into the Wild, Chris McCandless shows many examples of transcendentalism through his simple lifestyle.

In my opinion, Chris McCandless is an example of a modern-day transcendentalist -- someone who believes in nature, confidence, free thinking, self-reliance, and non-conformity. Because transcendentalists are typically people who live in the wilderness with no contact with society, transcendentalism usually relies on a more spiritual thinking rather than a certain scientific-like thinking based on materialistic things. This way of life can prove fatal if carried to an extent exceeding the person’s capabilities, knowledge, and/or experience. “There are no fixtures in nature. The universe is fluid and volatile.

Neil Perry was a well-rounded young adult whose biggest flaw was exposed in the ideas of Transcendentalism. A well-known Transcendentalist once said the wise words of, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind…” (Emerson 247) suggesting that the only obstacle that has the potential to stop someone from achieving their aspirations is found within the strength of their mindset. This idea of an individual being able to succeed in life by simply their mindset can be related to the first core tenet of Transcendentalism; which is the belief that “the individual is paramount”; in this idea Neil’s flaw is exposed.

Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that developed in 1836 as a reaction to rationalism. It taught about the love for nature and humanity, and its believers had strong progressive views towards the government and social problems. In the movie Into The Wild, Chris McCandless , a recent college graduate and Harvard Law School candidate, decides to discard his previous life and all he had worked for in it, In exchange for a new life that followed the transcendentalist writings of Thoreau and Emerson. Chris Begins his journey towards transcendentalism on a car trip through modern society, which leads to smaller marginalized communities, and finally to the Alaskan wilderness where he feels truly alone but happy.

He teaches them about transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is that our souls have a deeper connection to nature , and our minds can thrive and improve society. Dead Poets’ Society demonstrates non-conformity and human potential which are both traits of transcendentalism.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”- Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that revolves around self-reliance and independence, commonly in nature, a Transcendentalist wants to find the true meaning in life. I believe that Chris McCandless was a Transcendentalist because he was able to leave his whole life behind and take on a minimalist lifestyle while having a strong relationship with god. However, I believe that I am not a Transcendentalist, but simply an adventurer.

The characteristics of transcendentalism is individual vs society and the connection between human and nature. A subject of Into the Wild is individual vs society because Chris McCandless tends to desire to chase freedom and be alone rather than with people. In the last letter ever received from Everett Ruess, to his brother Waldo on November 11th, 1934. He explains that he wants to live in isolation.

The essence of Transcendentalism is rooted in the idea that all humans and the natural world

“ All men recognize the right of revolution”- Thoreau. This quote means that at one point everyone will recognize who they are and who they are gonna become. Dead Poets Society demonstrates non-conformity, human potential, and respect for nature which are all traits of transcendentalism. The movie Dead Poets Society it based on a new English teacher who reaches out in different ways at an all boys school in which leads students to show who they really are. There are many ways the movie Dead poets Society shows transcendentalism with various ways throughout the movie.

During the 1830s, an intellectual movement took place called Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the idea that an individual is the center of the universe and is more powerful than any institution. This way of thinking was very new to the people during that time. Even though the movement took place well over one hundred years ago, traits of Transcendentalism are still abundant in society today. For example, the movie Wall-E contains many traits of Transcendentalism.

In his essay Walden, Thoreau affirms the Transcendentalist belief of living simply by emphasizing the thought of living with only the essentials and the importance of self reliance. Thoreau supports the ideal of living simply through the emphasis of only living with what one needs. Simplicity exists

Dead poet’s society was filmed through the eyes of transcendentalism using Emerson’s philosophy, as seen in walden. The film deals with a group of young men who attend a very strict boarding school and the english teacher who gives them a new perspective on everything, the damaging effects of conformity, beautiful sense of nature, and emphasis of simplicity and individuality are shown in many elements throughout Dead Poet’s Society and are ultimately highlighted by emerson and thoreau’s philosophies, making the overall concept of transcendentalism understood. It shows this philosophy very well through the death of Neil Perry, opening of students, and Mr. Keating as the voice of transcendentalism. Main character of the film Neil Perry, an overachieving, good natured young man who is unwillingly committed to become a doctor due to his very strict father.

Walt Whitman is one of the leading mystic poets of death in the field of American poetry. Death is assigned a distinguished space in his poetic universe of Leaves of Grasswhich immensely colours his vision of life. This paper is an attempt to present Whitman’s attitude towards death vis-à-vis global mystic perspective. Reality of Death