David Henry Hwang

Chris McCandless had a very unique response to life and society, even though he was a highly intelligent person. He was different than other people and what conducted him to his death was not an act of stupidity. Believing in ideals that were thought out to be just irrational but to him it was the way a person should live, without the corruption of material things. He pursued his plans extremely different than what the average person would but, that does not mean he was delirious to do what…

People tend to get the wrong idea and think just getting the same old things everyone else has, going to parties, and so one is how to live life fully, but that is far from the truth. People should try being more idealistic like Henry suggests in his writings because they would explore their true selves. The people need to learn to stop being afraid of going out and trying new things, taking chances. In reality life is just that: taking a chance. Even though some dreams people may…

This characterization can be defined as a belief that one should act for themselves based on their own morals. An example of this is one of Henry David Thoreau, another highly regarded transcendentalist, who believed in exactly that. In his Essay “Civil Disobedience” he recounts a time when he was arrested by virtue of him not paying his poll tax over the fact that it paid for the Mexican-American…

American Transcendentalism was a great movement in the middle of the nineteenth century (Campbell). Two of the most influential, transcendentalist writers of this era is Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau expressed similar meanings in their stories. Emerson’s The American Scholar explains the functions, virtues, and roles of an individual. Thoreau’s Walden is a continuation of Emerson’s The American Scholar, in that Thoreau gives a deeper explanation of the…

The course as a whole has allowed me to expand my mind, think about different parts of life and nature that I would not pay attention to on a daily basis. Nature is a beautiful thing and sadly, for a lot of people it passes them by too quickly. Henry David Thoreau in the novel, Walden and Civil Disobedience describes nature as one of the most important aspects of the human experience. Before reading the novel I…

As one of the most well-known movies in America, does Dead Poet’s Society promote the controversial ideas of transcendentalism? Furthermore, should Mr. Keating’s advice be followed? While some may say the movie demotes transcendentalism based off of the characters’ rather unfortunate endings, the ideals of the movie prove otherwise. The movie follows the story of Mr. Keating, a teacher who imbues private school students with transcendentalist values, and because he is the main protagonist, the…

system is run, which has created friction between the two parties. Acts of rebellion are often violent, but peaceful protests also are led in order to bring attention to issues, and enact change. “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”, an essay by Henry David Thoreau, expresses his thoughts on the government and how citizens should respond to governmental issues. Thoreau’s primary method of persuasion employs the use of rhetorical strategies to make readers want to make a change by creating a sense…

Simplify your life. Let go of the poisonous past and live the abundantly beautiful present... today". Dr. Maraboli’s views are similar to those of Thoreau, as he claims that leading a simplistic life will free one from the chains holding them back. In Henry David Thoreau’s “Where I Lived and What I Lived for”, Thoreau believes society creates the chains holding down individuals from reaching a higher order; society creates imprisonment, grudges, and anger. Throughout his article, “Where I Lived…

Henry David Thoreau once said, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” McCandless easily relates to this as he went on an adventure with a hunger he had no means of fulfilling. Within a sea of naturalist and, opposing, transcendental texts, his ideology was not clearly defined even to himself. In the burrows of Mt. McKinley, Chris McCandless died of starvation in 1992. Many esteem his ideals, but controversy remains on whether his death was…

conscience even if the state demands it”. This is meaning that individuality should be overruled by the government. Whether it be religion, morals, or just against the conscience, people should never be forced to do things against their wishes. Henry David Thoreau also agrees with Albert Einstein. He believes that the less the government interacts and directly affects the people the better. “But, just speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men,…