Who were the central figures associated with the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism?

• A. Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson
• B. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau
• C. Mark Twain and Nathaniel Hawthorne
• D. Henry James and F. Scott Fitzgerald

Answer: (B)

The central figures associated with the philosophical movement of Transcendentalism are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson is often considered the leading thinker of the movement, advocating for the belief in the inherent goodness of people and nature, as well as the importance of self-reliance and individual intuition. His essay "Nature" laid the groundwork for Transcendentalist thought, emphasizing the connection between the spiritual and the natural world.

Henry David Thoreau, a protégé of Emerson, further embodied Transcendentalist principles in his works, most notably in his book "Walden," where he reflects on simple living in natural surroundings. Thoreau's commitment to individualism and advocacy for social change, particularly in his essay "Civil Disobedience," also strongly align with Transcendentalist ideals.

While Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson were prominent poets of their time, their work is primarily associated with American Romanticism rather than Transcendentalism. Similarly, Mark Twain and Nathaniel Hawthorne are linked to American realism and dark romanticism, and Henry James and F. Scott Fitzgerald belong to the literary movements that evolved in the late 19th and 20th centuries, distinct from the transcend