Unit 5: Transcendentalism
During this unit students will track the American train of thought, reflected in literature. In the 1830s, a small group of intellects moved on the notion that people are inherently good and nature is harmonious and plentiful, but religion and governing bodies are more likely to corrupt that goodness in people and nature than help it. Students will read texts from that time and examine the arguments from the primary sources. Students will be asked to take a stance in regards to their opinion of transcendental philosophies and argue their findings in writing. Students will study authors from this time period including: Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, along with Native Americans who shared similar views. Additionally, students will view criticisms of this philosophy by authors including Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allen Poe. Lastly, students will be asked to ponder the value of reading texts from Americans in this time period.What is Transcendentalism and how does its philosophy relate to modern day American beliefs and customs? What happened that caused Americans to shift their thinking from one philosophy to another? How can comparing writings from different authors help us understand a concept?
How does a central theme in the piece develop over the course of the text? What strategies might a writer utilize to convey a central theme of a text to a specific audience?
How do different authors with different perspectives treat similar themes or issues?
How might discussions with other students or the teacher add meaning to the concepts being learned?
Why might someone declare that it is essential to master grammar and usage of the English language when writing? Why might someone declare that it is essential to master grammar and usage of the English language when speaking?