To What Extent Am I A Transcendentalist?
Word Limit: 1000 words (Please respect the word limit – 10% either side is fine)
Due: Sunday 11/9 – 10pm – turnitin.com
Form: Personal Essay (You are expected to use the word “I.”)
Definition of transcendentalist: somebody who believes in transcendentalism.
Definition of transcendentalism: an American form of European romanticism that
flourished in the late nineteenth century and rejected neoclassical, enlightenment
thinking in favor of four main concepts.
Concept One: The Importance of Emotion:
- Emotion is more important than reason.
- Intuition is more important than logic.
Concept Two: The Importance of Individuality
- Individuality is more important than being part of a group.
- Experiencing the world for yourself is a better way to learn than listening to other people
who are supposed to be experts on a subject.
- Originality is more important than being correct.
- Rebellion is more important than conformity.
- Civil Disobedience is more important than following laws for the sake of following laws.
Concept Three: The Importance of The Natural World:
- The Natural World is spiritual and sublime.
- Experiencing the sublime is more important than living a safe life.
- Spiritual connections to The Natural World are more important than material success.
- Technology and science get in the way of our understanding of The Natural World.
Concept Four: The Importance of Transcendence:
- The point of life is to transcend everyday experience and the beliefs of others to reach a
heightened awareness of one’s place in the universe. This last concept is the most important
one, as all of the other concepts exist in order to develop this one.
Your job for this essay is to answer the following question: To what extent am I a
transcendentalist? You must take a side.
In order to answer this question, you are expected to tell stories from your life that show
the degree to which you consider the four concepts listed on the opposite side of this page
to be important.
In other words, write one paragraph explaining the degree to which you believe more in
emotion or reason. Then, write one paragraph explaining the degree to which you are
concerned about being an individual. Then, write one paragraph explaining the degree to
which you value the natural world. Then, wrap up the whole essay with a statement about
the degree to which you seek to transcend everyday experience.
In every paragraph, you will be graded on how well you provide specific, welldescribed examples from your life as proof.
Structure:
Introduction:
No Introduction Needed – do not define transcendentalism – the reader of your essay knows what it
means.
Body Paragraph One: - Thesis and Emotion
- This paragraph should start your essay.
- Some possible opening sentences…
“I am not much of a transcendentalist because….”
“I am a raving transcendentalist because….”
“Although I have some transcendentalist tendencies, I am more of a reasonable conformist
because…”
“Although I am not much of a nature person, I am more transcendentalist than not because
I am a non-conformist and into civil disobedience.”
- The rest of this paragraph should address the degree to which you believe more in emotion or
reason; intuition or logic. You should develop illustrative stories, using sense impressions and
figurative language.
Body Paragraphs Two and Three: - Obedience and Individuality
- Paragraph Two should transition smoothly from paragraph one. A smooth transition will show
the reader the similarities and differences between the stories and topics of each paragraph.
- Paragraph Two should address the degree to which you believe you are obedient and interested
in conforming to the rules and fitting in or the degree to which you are interested in civil
disobedience or not conforming. You should develop illustrative stories, using sense
impressions and figurative language.
- You should also have a good transition between paragraphs two and three.
- Paragraph three should address an important social or political or moral issue. Then you should
develop the degree to which you see yourself as being in the majority or the minority in terms of
this issue and how your position makes you feel.
Body Paragraph Four: - The Natural World
- This paragraph should transition smoothly from paragraph two. A smooth transition will show
the reader the similarities and differences between the stories and topics of each paragraph.
- The rest of this paragraph should address the degree to which you have a meaningful
relationship with The Natural World. You should develop illustrative stories, using sense
impressions and figurative language.
Conclusion Paragraph - Transcendence Overall
- This paragraph should transition smoothly from paragraph three. A smooth transition will show
the reader the similarities and differences between the stories and topics of each paragraph.
- The rest of this paragraph should address the degree to which you believe overall that you seek
for transcendence or for safety in your life. You should develop illustrative stories, using sense
impressions and figurative language.
How well does this essay stay within the word limit of 1000 words? 10%
How well does this essay clearly take a side? 10 %
How well does this essay provide illustrative stories for or against emotion, civil
disobedience, individuality, nature and or transcendence? 30%
How well does this essay use sense impressions and figurative language to make those stories
come alive? 30%
How well structured is this essay in terms of sentences, paragraphs and transitions? 10%
How well does this essay use appropriate Standard Written English? 10%