TOPIC:

The Modern Transcendentalists

Research a modern (or near-modern) example of the transcendentalists and compose a 3-5 page paper which considers the following questions: 

1) Thoroughly explain your example:  

What is their purpose/goal? 

Background info:

What motivates them? Why are they doing it?  Who are their role models?  How do they go about achieving their goal?  

How are they viewed by society?  

Are they successful? 

What impact have they had?  Are they on a personal mission or out to change the world?

 2) Explain how they connect to the Transcendentalists and provide additional support by citing three specific passages from Emerson or Thoreau.  

Connect to a tenet - Individualism/nonconformity

Nature - it’s preservation, living deliberately, connecting with God/Greater Life Force

Civil Disobedience

Self-reliance

The Process:

1.Choose one or two people or movements that interest you and do some preliminary research.  

2.Evaluate: Is there sufficient material to write a paper?  Can you find at least 4 articles, books or journals that are reliable sources and support your idea?

3.Complete an outline:  your outline should be on the topic you choose and should be formatted like the sample provided in your packet. 

4. Craft a preliminary thesis:  What are you going to prove?  How will you prove it? How does it connect to the ideals and writings of Emerson and Thoreau?

5.Reflect: Meaningful literature transcends time and place.  The ideas, themes and human reactions/actions can be seen and applied to modern life in such a way as to improve your life or the lives of those around you. Although Thoreau and Emerson were living and writing nearly 200 years ago, their ideas and beliefs continue to live on in contemporary society.

5.  Your final paper will be in MLA format (including parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page), include 6-8 different sources (including texts by Emerson and Thoreau), and be 3-5 pages in length.

Research & Writing Handbook