Emerson and Thoreau are most closely associated with which movement?

• A. Realism
• B. Naturalism
• C. Transcendentalism
• D. Modernism

Answer: (C)

Transcendentalism centers on the belief that truth comes from inner intuition and direct experience of the natural world, rather than from established doctrine or external authorities. Emerson and Thoreau are central figures in this 19th-century movement in New England, with Emerson arguing for self-reliance and the idea that each person can access universal truth through their own conscience, and Thoreau showing these ideas in practice through a life close to nature at Walden and through civil disobedience. The movement also emphasizes nonconformity, individual freedom, and a sacred relationship with nature.

Realism focuses on depicting everyday life as it is, without idealization. Naturalism extends realism with an emphasis on how environment and heredity shape behavior. Modernism comes later and is marked by experimentation and a break with traditional forms.