Nature
The words in this short story flowed like no other literature I have laid eyes on. It gave off a very spiritual feeling. After reading this, I feel that the Transcendentalists were the first hippies. Like the romantics; they had a huge respect for nature. These people accepted the fact that they were not very important. But in the woods they felt connected to this "oversoul" or supposedly god himself. "I became a transparent eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of god." They felt that the greatest thing us humans were given was the brain; to understood the power of the brain. The transcendentalists felt a unity with nature. My favorite line was "I am the lover of uncontained and immortal beauty." I feel this translates into "I love the magnificence of nature."
Self-Reliance
This short story was very different from the previous. This story refers to one's ego and one's accepted place in society and ones place with god."...It may be safely trusted as proportionate and of good issues, so it be faithfully imparted, but god will not have his work made manifest by cowards." Ralph seems to despise societyand how it changes what he feels is most important in life. "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members." He sees society holding people back. Making them fear to think outside the box: "Imitation is suicide." Ralph feels that people should accept thier place in life, "accept the place the divine previdence has found for you; the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so.." He knows of the many misunderstood philosophers, and highly respects them for their bravery. As he wisely said, "To be great is to be misunderstood."
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