Transcendental Aphorisms

"All the adversity I've had in my life, all the troubles and obstacles have strengthened me."

Walt Disney

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance
     You are the only one who can possibly overcome your own obstacles to become stronger.

-Givy

Transcendental Music- Anklebiters by Paramore

Why do you care what people think?
Are you hooked up to their leash?
You know anklebiters
Ate up your personality.

Try to remember how it felt
To just make up your own steps
And let anklebiters
Chew up, spit out someone else.

Fall in love with yourself.

Because someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Why you wanna please the world
And leave yourself to drop dead?
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

What do you actually expect?
A broken mirror to reflect?
You know, anklebiters
Gave you a false perception.

And why do I defend
(C'mon, c'mon) your ignorance?
Oh, why do I defend
(C'mon, c'mon) the state you're in?

You should fall in love
With yourself, oh, again.
Fall in love with yourself.

Because someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Why you wanna please the world
And leave yourself to drop dead?
Someday you’re gonna be
The only one you've got.

Anklebiters! Anklebiters!
Someday you’re gonna be alone!
Anklebiters! Anklebiters!


Tenet 4- Self-Reliance & Individualism
     Transcendentalists were all about trusting yourself and being who you're meant to be. This song is about falling in love with yourself, trusting who you are, and ignoring what society says. Don't let the anklebiters chew you up and spit you out- never conform.

-Kat

What transcendentalist principles are reflected in contemporary literature?

     Transcendentalism is still very much alive in our culture today, though you won't hear the word in many conversations you hear around yourself. The majority of young adult novels today focus on the extremely transcendental ideas of self-reliance, non-conformity, and spontaneity.

     Divergent is one such example- here is a link to our post about the movie. The main character of both the novel and the new movie adaption is Tris Prior. She's strong-willed, intelligent, clever, and determined to stick to who she is, though who she is may not always be clear to her. With the kind of self-reliance that Tris has, she can certainly do anything she puts her mind to, as any transcendentalist would wish everyone could.
     the movie (online) - the book (from amazon) - the author (Veronica Roth)

     Delirium features another strong female character- Lena, who lives in a future world where love is considered a disease. There's even a cure for it, meant to be administered when you reach a certain age. But, of course, there are always a few rebels. Delirium and its sequels follow Lena and others as they fight the society that believes that love should be eradicated to eliminate pain and numerous other inconveniences. The non-conformists of these novels holding on to humanity are truly transcendental.
     the book (from amazon) - the author (Lauren Oliver)

     The Fault in Our Stars is a novel focusing on a portion of the life of cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster. It explores life and death in a simple book, and shows the reader that no matter how much time you have, you should be soaking it all in. Hazel could have sat around alone in her bedroom day in and day out, but she shows us that sitting around is certainly not the best way to live. You have to take chances and opportunities, and make as many memories as you can. Seize the day.
     the movie trailer (coming June 6) - the book (from amazon) - the author (John Green)

Transcendental Aphorisms

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us."

Henry David Thoreau

Tenet 2- God is in Nature and Man
     Don't waste your time dwelling on the past or worrying over the future. Instead, realize that a piece of the divine soul is in you and that that is of more importance than either the past or future.

-Kat

Transcendental Aphorisms

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tenet 5- Trust Spontaneous Feelings and Intuition
     Basically- seize the day. Enjoy each day you have, and truly live your life embracing nature and the people around you so that you know you have lived as fully as possible.

-Kat

Transcendentalism in TV/Movies- Peter Pan

      An adaptation of J. M. Barrie's story about a boy who never grew up. The three children of the Darling family receive a visit from Peter Pan, who takes them to Never Land, where an ongoing war between Peter's gang of rag-tag runaways and the evil Pirate Captain Hook is taking place.

      Description from IMDB.com.

Watch the full movie here!

Tenet 5- Trust Spontaneous Feelings and Intuition
     Peter Pan is about adventure, taking a leap of faith, and trusting quick decisions- something the transcendentalists would surely have been proud of.

-Kat

Transcendental Music- Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas

You think you own whatever land you land on
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or ask the grinning bob cat why he grins
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle of a hoop that never ends

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
Or let the eagle tell you where he's been
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind

How high does the sycamore grow
If you cut it down then you'll never know
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon
For whether we are white or copper skinned
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
We need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the earth and still
All you own is earth until
You can paint with all the colors of the wind


Tenet 2- The Divine Soul is in Nature and Man
     Pocahontas sings about how every rock, tree and creature are alive. Everything is a part of the divine soul, so everything is connected and should be respected as such.

-Kat

Transcendental Aphorisms

"The highest revelation is that God is in every man."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tenet 1- Everything Reflects the Divine Soul
     Emerson is saying that the most important thing that anyone can understand is that everyone has a piece of God in them. He means to tell us that we are all connected- that we are all one, and should treat each other as brothers and sisters- and that everyone is inherently good and holy.

-Kat

Transcendental Aphorisms

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tenet 5- Trust Spontaneous Feelings and Intuition
     Don't fall into habits and continue to do only what you are good at. Try new things- broaden your horizons and continue to grow as a person instead of getting stuck in a rut.

-Kat

Transcendentalism in TV/Movies- Soul Surfer

     13 year-old Bethany Hamilton is a champion surfer who was born to be in the water. But after a fun night out night surfing and what should be a fun day in the water, she is attacked by a shark and loses her arm. Rushed to the hospital, she remains calm, and maintains her faith in God. Now she has to re-learn how to do everything with only one arm - including how to surf. It will take her friends, family, and her Christian faith to get her back into the water, but if that is where she is meant to be, she will find a way to get there.

     Description from IMDB.com.

You can watch the full movie here!

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance
     Soul Surfer is truly about a girl who had to rely on herself to get things done. She wanted to surf so she had to push herself to get what she wanted. "I don't need easy, I just need possible " as she said.

-Givy

Transcendental Aphorisms

"Everyone falls down. Getting back up is how you learn to walk."

Walt Disney

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance
     Only you can choose to overcome your struggles or stay down and do nothing about it.

-Givy

Transcendental Aphorisms

"Be strong minded and always think that the impossible is possible."

Selena Quintanilla

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance
     Selena is saying having a strong mind can make even the hardest things seem so easy. You have to rely on yourself to figure out how to conquer the impossible.

-Givy

Transcendentalism in TV/Movies- Divergent

     Set in a futuristic dystopia where society is divided into five factions that each represent a different virtue, teenagers have to decide if they want to stay in their faction or switch to another - for the rest of their lives. Tris Prior makes a choice that surprises everyone. Then Tris and her fellow faction-members have to live through a highly competitive initiation process to live out the choice they have made. They must undergo extreme physical and intense psychological tests, that transform them all. But Tris has a secret that she is Divergent, which means she doesn't fit into any one group. If anyone knew, it would mean a certain death. As she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, this secret might help her save the people she loves... or it might destroy her.
     Description from IMDB.com.

You can watch the full movie here!

Tenet 4- Self-Reliance & Individuality
     In Divergent, Tris has to rely on herself throughout the movie. The only way for her to get through initiation is to trust herself and her strength.

-Givy

Transcendental Aphorisms

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."

Michael Jackson

Tenet 4- Individuality
     Jackson is saying that it's better to try and figure out who you are than follow what society wants you to be.

-Givy

Transcendental Music- Belle (Little Town) from Beauty and the Beast

Belle: 
Little town 
It's a quiet village 
Ev'ry day 
Like the one before 
Little town 
Full of little people 
Waking up to say: 

Lady: 
Bon jour! 

Man carrying grain sack: 
Bon jour! 

Egg man: 
Bon jour! 

Washer woman: 
Bon jour! 

Baker: 
Bon jour! 

(The lyrics are quite lengthy, so here's a link to the rest of them.)


Tenet 4- Individuality
     Belle wanted something more in her life. She wanted something new and different. She knew she didn't fit in, but she didn't care whether people liked her choices or not. She was different and she expressed and embraced it.

-Givy

Transcendental Aphorisms

"The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique."

-Walt Disney

Tenet 4- Individuality
     The more comfortable you are with yourself, the less likely you are to conform with society.

-Givy

Transcendental Music- Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid

Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has everything?

Look at this trove
Treasures untold
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here you think
Sure, she's got everything

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
You want thingamabobs?
I've got twenty!

But who cares?
No big deal
I want more

I wanna be where the people are
I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh - feet!

Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a - what's that word again?
Street

Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free - wish I could be
Part of that world

What would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Bet'cha on land they understand
Bet they don't reprimand their daughters
Bright young women sick of swimmin'
Ready to stand

And ready to know what the people know
Ask 'em my questions and get some answers
What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?
Burn?

When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above?
Out of the sea
Wish I could be
Part of that world


Tenet 4- Self-Reliance & Individuality
     Ariel was tired of the same old life that had been provided to her by her family her whole life. She wanted to go out and do something different for once. She wanted to be able to make her own choices and be who she thought she was meant to be.

-Givy

Transcendental Comic

Tenet 2- God is in Nature and Man
     Calvin believes that rubbing Hobbes' stomach is the right choice and will get him "out of a few years Purgatory".

Tenet 4- Individualism

     Calvin and Hobbes are doing Calvin's homework, and Calvin is hoping to get points for originality even though his work isn't properly completed. (But we all do that from time to time!)

-Givy