Two-Faced Transcendentalists Anonymous 12th Grade

The transparent eyeball is a philosophical metaphor introduced by Transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson. The transparent eyeball represents an eye that serves only to be observant rather than reflective. Therefore it teaches us to take in all that nature has to offer. Christopher McCandles proves this very notion wrong. In the beginning stages of his life, he was very observant. He would keep to himself about the ideologies he strongly believed in. At times, when witnessing his parents fight, Christopher along with his sister would sit there witnessing their parents argue, with feelings of hatred. Chris absorbed the negativity from his parents and the corruptness of society. Chris McCandles acted as a transparent eyeball, according to Emerson, one would benefit from by being a silent onlooker since they would have a chance to find oneself. However, Chris did not benefit from being an onlooker, but rather it was the ability he had to voice his thoughts. This freedom was what powered Chris to find himself in the wildness. Without first standing up to his parents, he would never acquire enough will power to find himself in the Alaskan wilderness. Emerson and Chris McCandles, both incorporate transcendentalism in their lives,...