This week we rise up from the dark dredges of horror and gothic literature, into the light and “transcendental” work of Louisa May Alcott, “A Hole in the Wall”
Transcendentalism is a social movement and idealistic philosophy (mid 1800s) in which knowledge about ourselves and the world around us “transcends” what we can see, hear, taste, touch, or feel. Transcendentalists believe that the divine spirit resides within all of us, they embrace intuition rather than rationality, and believe in the “inherent goodness of both people and nature”. Alcott was basically home schooled. Her primary educational instruction was received from her father, but she also received some instruction from family friends including Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thoreau and Margaret Fuller. This story certainly shows the influence of the Transcendental Movement on her work. Enjoy!