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1A - "Where I Lived and What I Lived For"

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1A - "Where I Lived and What I Lived For"

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"The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake...We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep" (Thoreau 1-2).

An individual must cede from all the worldly, technological, and material distractions they are so enthralled in, and fully appreciate nature, like the young woman in the image, to live a meaningful life of purpose, simplicity, and solace - the essential goal of the Transcendentalist poets and the movement itself.

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"I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements" (Thoreau 8).

By refusing to succumb to worldly distractions, an individual is able to appreciate the woods and nature as they walk through it, at any time of the year and any season (as the image suggests), focused, mindful, and simplistic, and by a return to the simplicity of life and the beauty of nature, the individual is described to be Transcending.

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"Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight, does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both. It is necessary to use these pleasures with great temperance" (Emerson 4).

Emerson enforces the significance of balance to lead a meaningful life, and especially, as the image portrays a life in harmony and in relation with nature, as this is what the Transcendentalism movement urges is the truth behind truly living: balance.

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"There is no object so foul that intense light will not make beautiful" (Emerson 2).

Emerson suggests that everything and everyone in the universe is beautiful, especially in nature when a light shines directly on the subject, like in the image where light shines on the hills which are portrayed as absolutely majestic, as even the simplistic aspects of nature, like light, can make anything alluring and attractive.

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"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string" (Emerson 5).

Each individual is self-reliant and they must realize that their heart, different from the various hearts of their fellow community members, is based on their own vibrations, not the vibrations of the others--if not realized, then the heart is held within unbreakable iron strings (as seen in the image)-- and represents the Transcendental belief in individualism.

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In the poem, "O Me! O Life," Whitman illustrates that each individual's life is valuable and meaningful, but that purpose must be discovered rather than just handed to you. To certain individuals, life may seem like an empty abyss with a foolish and inevitable ending rather than a true purpose. Whitman questions what good there is in life, specifically, why they live. They do not realize that life itself is what they are living for, and with this complex understanding of existence, the ideology that they may "contribute a verse" (Whitman 10), or make a difference in the world is established.

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"Sucking all the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone."

What I feel was the most striking element of this movie was the bittersweet ending, one of their fellow classmates and dear friends "choked on the bone," yet they have this new, profound appreciation for individualism (not conforming to society's - and parents - standards), and seeking the truth in their lives, both core aspects of Transcendentalism.

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The verse I will contribute to this world in my lifetime is to succor people both through my work and my writing. As a doctor, I will help people directly and ensure their smiles are regenerated and they are able to live life the way it's meant to be lived. However, I will help people indirectly through my writing by putting meanings to words on a piece of paper, stories in a multitude of pieces. These stories will allow the reader to be imaginative and inspired by the lives of the characters in my writing. Through my writing, I am also able to express my thoughts and feelings through a certain character or plot, furthering the emotional impact on both the reader and fulfilling my desires of expressing myself through my writing. Words can often be some of the best medicine. I will contribute imagination, inspiration, and aid to this world during my lifetime.

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“Run”

In the realm of society I roam,

Trying to find a path, uniquely my own.

But it is arduous in these congested routes,

My desire to find my destination dilutes.

So I run.

I run until the distance has disappeared.

I run until I can no longer hear the crowds.

I run until it hurts to run any longer.

I run until I am free.

The world is no longer closing in on me,

Clarity. Clarity is what I feel.

A sudden appreciation,

For the shadow of the tree that I have collapsed under,

Shielding me from the superficial diversions.

The rushing of the river brushing against my hands,

The leaves of each tree, each bush, each flower, I touch.

The divergence of each leaf calls out to me, compels me.

All different, all beautiful.

In the realm of the forest I roam,

The pathway my own.

The description of the beauty of nature and the characters desire to transform from a conforming individual to a more developed and unique one expresses two core tenets of Transcendentalism.

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Vienna reflects the timing in relation to the purpose of life and its true meaning for that specific individual, and Vienna being a beautiful location in Austria, emphasizes the beauty in nature and simplicity: all pristine examples of Transcendentalism.

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I have finally spent my time walking alongside this beautiful body of water and through this amazing forest; The calamity of my surroundings and the beauty of nature contribute to my transcendence! #SolaceSought✓

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I observed the sky as the sun set, watching as the colors painted the sky in all sorts of oranges and yellows, representing a peaceful and natural experience, the perfect time to transcend and truly appreciate my surroundings in the silence.

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The refusal to view myself through the mirror's perspective is a metaphor for the rejection of society's pressures and standards, initiating the attribute of individuality and emphasizing the importance of self - an important tenant of Transcendentalism.

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An old activity I used to do during the pandemic quarantine was walk throughout the neighborhood, and one day, I came across a house who had many beautiful peacocks, and have enticed me ever since; My appreciation for nature grew immensely, and I returned to this house today in order to regain that feeling of Transcendence I once felt!

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An individual's desire for wealth, specifically in the foundations of Capitalism, often distracts them from the beauty and simplicity of nature, as they are so captivated with living a materialistic and complex life rather than a simplistic and meaningful one, further contradicting Transcendental beliefs and tenets.

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Just like a "magic orb," which is all-seeing and has intellectual properties, nature allows the individual to look through such an all-knowing orb and truly understand the way the individual must live their life and reconnect themselves with nature.

Transcendentalism teaches people to model themselves after nature through its emphasis on individuality and non-conformity in order to become self-reliant individuals who, in turn, are able to fully and positively contribute to society with their developed ideas and through their pure understanding of the goodness of man after nature has provided them with the truth they sought.

“There is no object so foul that intense light will not make beautiful…even the corpse has its own beauty” (Emerson 2).
"There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide" (Emerson 4).
"Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world" (Emerson 7).