Walden - A Treatise on Transcendentalism Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Walden - A Treatise on Transcendentalism - Term Paper Example Living with a meagre amount of income, he built a home and enjoyed the most rustic freedom available to mankind. Moreover, Thoreau alleged in the tome that over-dependence on literature was never an effective conduit towards transcendence or the ideal conception of one’s spiritual condition against the lure of worldly facets or sensual perceptions; spiritual success can be attained through individual intuition or experience. The magnificent natural surroundings endowed to us by Mother Nature is goading us to live simply and to concentrate on the elemental sounds of nature such as the rustling hum of the leaves, the chirping of migratory birds, the ringing of the chapel’s bells, the jangling and muffling of wagons, the farm animals moaning, and the tiny creatures flirting. The last chapter of the book condemned the American preoccupation with success and excessive affluence that were vestigial to their pursuit of happiness. Thoreau compassionately encouraged humanity to alter their lives for the wellness of the spirit and not for the mounting of wealth and material possessions. He epitomized these pieces of advice by means of passages interspersed in the book such as â€Å"sell your clothes and keep your thoughts,† and â€Å"say what you have to say, not what you ought.† Furthermore, Thoreau denounced conformity because this administrative demand hinders the genuine journey of humanity towards happiness and contentment; individuals, as he accepted, should follow what their hearts and minds utter because only though self-discretion will a person obtain a blissful subsistence. The masterpiece of Thoreau generally criticizes the debilitating fixation of the Western culture towards consumerism and materialism which in the long run will spawn the obliteration of nature. The venture of Thoreau towards simplicity has three objectives; primarily, the endeavour was performed to elude the global weakening effect of the Industrial Revolution.