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“I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow out of life… to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner… and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world…” -Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau's quote connects to the tenet of transcendentalism that emphasizes one's freedom to follow their instinctual knowledge by showing how if one sees a flaw of life, they should publish its flaw to be seen by the public; this is also seen in the image example because it is a satirical cartoon that exposes the flaws of the education system.

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"As a man grows older, his ability to sit still and follow indoor occupations increases. He grows vespertinal in his habits as the evening of life approaches, till at least he comes forth only just before sundown, and gets all the walk that he requires in half an hour." -Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau is addressing the notion of transcendentalism that one must be nonconformist and take current opportunities to transcend rather than wait until the end of his life. The image portrays the concept of how men tend to wait until they are old to enjoy life, but, as Thoreau points out, cannot really enjoy it, as he is nearing the end of his life.

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"...it is certain that the power to produce this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The quote and image connect to the tenets of transcendentalism because they show the importance of man's relationship with nature; they highlight the harmony between man and nature, and they show how man can find the truth to happiness within it.

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"...A leaf, a sun-beam, a landscape, the ocean, make an analogous impression on the mind. What is common to them all, - that perfectness and harmony, is beauty... Nothing is quite beautiful alone: nothing but is beautiful in the whole..." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The image shows the harmony of nature and how, though every aspect of the picture is beautiful on its own, it is the coming together of these individual pieces that make the image beautiful.

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"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 is in the midst of the crowd and keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

In this quote, Emerson makes known the importance of nonconformity and solitude, but also shows how solitude does not mean complete isolation; the image portrays this by depicting a blue sphere, which, even among all the red spheres, remains blue.

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The poem "O Me! O Life!" by Walt Whitman has impacted the way I see the world. It taught me that the fact that life exists in itself is something to bring up my spirits when I am pondering the woes of society, that rather than spending my time ruminating on my troubles, I should spend it contributing to the world. It helped me realize that my problems are insignificant in the vastness of the universe, but if I contribute to the universe, I will have no need to fear these obstacles.

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The most striking element of Dead Poets Society was the characterization of Mr. Keating; he embodies transcendentalism by representing the concepts of nonconformity and self-realization.

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As my contribution to the world, I am going to leave a legacy. I don't know whether it is going to be a large or a small impact on the world, but I hope to live with the knowledge that I will be remembered by those closest to me. I will try to live as an example for those around me, to be an inspiration of kindness and to act as a beam of light for those around me. I hope to touch the hearts and souls of my acquaintances by being a reliable person they can confide in and be themselves around without worry of being judged or criticized. I will contribute by giving back to my community in a way truly unique to me, by being myself and lifting others around me. My verse is my own; it will be my legacy, my image, and my memory.

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I was once asked why I have such a fascination with the sky.

Though it wasn’t a serious inquiry,

I was ready with an answer:

The sky is like a mirror.

It shows the same emotions as us;

When it is happy, it is soft and smiles brightly.

When it is sad, it cries.

When it is mad, it yells and stomps.

The sky wakes up and goes to sleep.

And at night, when it is sleeping,

The endless cosmos it holds show the vastness of its knowledge.

I was once asked why I have such a fascination with the sky.

My answer:

Because the sky reminds me to look up from my complex life,

And breathe.

Because it reminds me that I am but one of billions of humans on this planet,

But there is only one sky,

And it stretches over us all.

I was once asked why I have such a fascination with the sky;

And I answered:

“Because the sky is beautiful.”

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John Lennon's song "Imagine" implores the audience to think of a world in which religion, countries and governments, and possessions do not exist; this ties to transcendentalism by showing the disconnect from society and materialistic values.

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My hashtag, #unapologeticallyme, shows the value of nonconformity by declaring that I will continue to be myself, without apology, regardless of what society wants me to be.

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This is an image of me enjoying the beauty of the sunset at the beach; it connects to the transcendentalist value of nature and seeking the truth in it.

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I chose this picture because it shows how the most beautiful of scenes can appear in the most common places that you pass by every day, and I took it because I felt like I could relate to the mountain, huddled under a blanket of clouds. This harmony between me and the view shows the importance of man's relationship with nature in transcendentalism.

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When I took this picture, I had taken a step away from my busy life, and I took a breath to enjoy the view of the lightning; I had disconnected from society (a value of transcendentalism) for a brief moment, and I enjoyed watching the wonder of nature that is a lightning storm.

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People have struggles transcending in modern society due to the developments in technology and the social belief that people who don't use the latest media and technology are outcasts.

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In the works of Thoreau, Emerson, Whitman, and many other revered writers, the tenets of transcendentalism are defined in order to teach others how to live properly.

"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore… the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The standard of beauty is the entire circuit of natural forms, - the totality of nature; which the Italians expressed by defining beauty ‘il piu nell uno.’ Nothing is quite beautiful alone: nothing but is beautiful in the whole" -Emerson
"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist… Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind" -Emerson
"The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right" -Henry David Thoreau
"If we do not get our sleepers, and forge rails, and devote days and nights to the work, but go tinkering upon our lives to improve them, who will build railroads?... But if we stay at home and mind our business, who will want railroads?" -Thoreau
"I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear… Each singing what belongs to him or her and none else, The day what belongs to the day--at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs." -Walt Whitman
The image connects to transcendentalism by depicting a person's spiritual energy harmonizing with nature and connecting with it; it embodies the idea of transcendentalism as a whole, showing how the subject, looking content in nature, is proud to shine with their individual harmony with nature.