Essay about Transcendentalism and the Hunger Games

Transcendentalism and The Hunger Games Transcendentalism is a lifestyle in which one strives to rise above and reach a level of perfection. Transcendentalists believe in self-reliance, non-conformity, individualism, simplicity, the greatness of nature, and God being within oneself. Transcendentalism is often represented in modern day pop-culture; a strong example of this is The Hunger Games. The book depicts the life of Katniss Everdeen, a character who possesses many transcendental qualities. The Hunger Games displays many transcendental values and shows that living a transcendental life is positive and will improve one’s quality of life. Nature is a major transcendental value which both Emerson and Thoreau thrive off of. Emerson†¦show more content†¦Katniss Everdeen shares in Thoreau’s beliefs and has a strong hatred towards the government in which she lives under. The government she lives under, led by the Capitol, is a totalitarian government. They are very cruel and they attempt to control eve ry aspect of the people’s lives. Katniss says, â€Å"Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch--this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy† (Collins 17). This shows just how controlling and intimidating the government of her society is. Katniss expresses her hate for the Capitol when she says, â€Å"It’s the Capitol I hate, for doing this to all of us† (Collins 166). Katniss hates the government and how they operate, just as Thoreau and other transcendentalists do. Another major transcendental value that Thoreau stresses and follows is simplicity. He discusses simplicity several times in Walden, saying â€Å"Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail† (Thoreau 196). Thoreau believed that you need to live simply in ord er to transcend. Katniss demonstrates simplicity by living her life with minimal resources. She also looks down upon the lavish lifestyle of those who live in the Capitol. Living simply benefits Katniss because it makes her realize and appreciate theShow MoreRelatedTranscendentalism Through Popular Culture Project1340 Words   |  6 Pages Transcendentalism through Popular Culture Project One of the five principles of transcendentalism is nonconformity. Nonconformity is defined as failure or refusal to conform to established customs, attitudes, or ideas. It is to think higher than what society allows and to be above and beyond the accepted social standards. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a popular transcendentalist, demonstrates this principle in one of his compositions, Self-Reliance, â€Å"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist,† (Emerson