English 11 Unit 2.3

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• Identify the ideals of Transcendentalism.

• Analyze the rhetorical strategies and structures of texts.

• Removed the Discussion objective....

• Write an objective summary.

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Transcendentalists tried to find a larger meaning in normal, everyday occurrences. They felt that every situation presented a learning moment and that, in the moment when the event became meaningful beyond the physical world, it transcended.

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​(Hence the termTranscendentalism.) Transcendentalists also believed they had a moral responsibility to do the right thing and to solve the problems in society.

​To understand Transcendentalism, it's helpful to keep Romanticism in mind. (Remember those I's?

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Fascination with nature was the main trait of 18th-century Romanticism. Romantic thinkers believed in the power of nature to teach people truths. They rejected the idea that schooling and books were the only way to experience learning.

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​2.3.1 page 1

​The difference between Romanticism and Transcendentalism isn't enormous, but there's definitely a difference. Both belief systems focused on nature, but at the root of Transcendentalism is a verb with a simple meaning: to transcend, or go beyond.

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Transcendentalists believed:​​

• Nature is a gateway to the soul.

• Each event in life has a spiritual or "bigger" meaning.

• All humans are basically good and should strive to find this goodness within themselves.

• All humans have the ability to lead a meaningful life, no matter how rich or poor.

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​2.3.1 pages 3 - 6

Transcendentalists believed they had a moral responsibility to change the problems in society. They valued each person as an individual, regardless of race, class, or religion. This led them to push for reforms in social institutions such as slavery, child labor, and politics.

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Emerson is known for the beauty of his essays, which he began publishing in the mid-1830s.​

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Thoreau believed in living alone and he instituted the practice of peaceful protest.​ Heavily influenced Gandhi and Dr. King.

​They wrote essays..... from the French verb essayer which means to try or to attempt -- An essay tries to work through a problem or explore a subject or idea.

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Metaphor....​ compares something complicated to something simple, which makes the complicated thing easier to understand.

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Paralellism ---a pattern in writing in which words and phrases are similar in structure, one echoing another. Parallelism creates emphasis and powerful rhythms in writing.

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​You will read an excerpt from Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government." Many people call it "Civil Disobedience."

His thoughts were groundbreaking... and he influence the likes of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King.

Don't forget that the Study Guide can be your friend.

​This Study helps you analyze "Resistance to Civil Government.

page 2

"Resistance to Civil Government" has a two-part structure. In the first part of the essay, Thoreau makes his argument about the difference between conscience and expediency. He outlines the dangers of obeying a government or any other large group of people instead of one's own beliefs.

In the second part of the essay, Thoreau relates his experience of spending a night in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax. He explains his experience in jail, how it made him see his village and fellow citizens differently, and how his actions fit with his larger understanding of citizenship in a democracy.

​The first part of Thoreau's text relies on logos, or the logical presentation of facts, to persuade the audience.

He sets up an argument that is based on the idea that a democracy should represent the desires of the citizens.

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In the second part of the essay, Thoreau explains that he refused to pay the tax because he wanted to show he was not allied with a state whose actions he found immoral.

This account of a personal sacrifice on behalf of his beliefs contributes to his ethos — his credibility in the eyes of the reader.

In other words, Thoreau is showing that he practices what he preaches, which makes us trust his argument.

​It is not just the larger two-part structure of "Resistance to Civil Government" that supports Thoreau's purpose. Smaller elements of the text also contribute to Thoreau's rhetoric, or his use of language to persuade his audience. These smaller elements are rhetorical devices, or persuasive techniques that help convince an audience.

Parallelism

Rhetorical Question

Metaphor

​In this assignment, you will write a two-paragraph objective summary of Henry David Thoreau's "Resistance to Civil Government." You will describe two of the main ideas from the text and explain how they support the author's purpose. In the process, you will maintain a confident, academic tone.

​For this assignment, you will need to maintain a formal, academic tone. That means you do the following:

• Avoid contractions.

• Avoid slang.

• Use appropriate academic vocabulary.

• Use clear, simple sentences.

​Here is an objective summary of the Declaration of Independence. Observe. . .

​Use words like says, states, claims, explains, and argues, but avoid words like thinks, feels, or believes — even if the author's thoughts and beliefs are clear from the content of the reading.

​In the CHAT .... message to ME!!

Name two influential historical figures who were heavily influenced by Henry David Thoreau.