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WorksheetsLet's Examine the Head of a Transcendentalist
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 10mins
In Walden, Thoreau is advocating for...
simple, structured living
more social freedom
less individuality
attention to detail
What if a Transcendentalist were to inherit a large amount of money from a relative? What would he or she most likely do with this money and why?
Spend it quickly by purchasing many, fun entertainment items
Share with friends and family because of a belief in the Oversoul
Invest it carefully out of a belief that things will go wrong some day and it's best to be prepared
What if a Transcendentalist wanted to learn a new skill? What skill would he or she most likely choose and why? (Choose the best two.)
Carpentry because this skill would increase his or her self-reliance
Gambling because this skill tests one's ability to read others
Race car driving because it provides thrill, excitement, and new experience
Painting because art can allow one to explore his or her intuition
Self-reliance is put into practice by…
thinking for yourself, no matter what anyone else believes
fighting for one's place in the world
refusing to contradict yourself, even if you are wrong
According to "Self Reliance", the best way to live is by…
putting our heart and soul into everything we do
trying to discover new inventions
attempting to understand the divine idea that God created
living a happy and calm life with friends that are geniuses
What if a Transcendentalist were presented with the option to live in the country or the city? Which would he choose and why?
A Transcendentalist would wish to live in the country in order to be more dependent upon nature.
A Transcendentalist would wish to live in the country in order to be more self-reliant and experience the positive influence of nature.
A Transcendentalist would wish to live in the city in order to learn more through social interaction and experience.
A Transcendentalist would wish to live in the city in order to explore a deeper connection with all other living creatures and the Oversoul.
How does Emerson feel about the ownership of nature?
He thinks that the only true owners of nature are poets as they understand nature
He thinks that people can enjoy nature but never truly posses it
He is envious of the men who can afford to own a portion of nature by owning land
Why did Thoreau choose to live in the woods?
to challenge himself to do so
to live meaningfully and simply
to avoid other people
What if a Transcendentalist disagreed with a new state law which raised the legal driving age to 18 (when this individual was himself 17)? What would he do and why?
He would obey the new law but berate lawmakers whenever he got the chance.
He would break the law openly and spectacularly, speeding and running red lights in order to protest the unfair law.
He would choose to drive anyway, even though it would be illegal, but still drive carefully and obey all traffic laws.
According to Thoreau we should...
make sure that we always fully support our government
respect truth and justice above one's government
remain peaceful as we tolerate unjust governments
Emerson says, "Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist"; a "nonconformist" is ____
a follower of accepted customs and actions
a follower of accepted beliefs and practices
one who does not know accepted customs and practices
one who does not follow accepted beliefs and practices
Why does Emerson mention Pythagoras, Socrates, Jesus, Luther, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton in "Self-Reliance"?
They were great, misunderstood thinkers
They were foolish, consistent thinkers
They were angry, hostile thinkers
When Emerson said "envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide," he meant _____
to wish to be like someone else denies your own potential
to envy another person is to ignore the good in life
to be happy, one must strive to fit in
What if a Transcendentalist reached a crossroads in life, a big decision, like what career to choose or which college to attend? What factors would most likely inform his decision? (Choose two.)
Popular choice (what most people were doing)
His own gut feeling about what feels right to him
Fear of failure
The optimistic belief that no matter what he chooses, things will work out
What is Thoreau's meaning in the following lines?
If you have built castles in the air, your world need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
Dreams are not reality, and we should not waste our time dreaming.
One must always be grounded in reality, fully experiencing life.
One's dreams may seem unreachable, but that means that they are worthy dreams and they require work and effort to become reality.
