In the wake of the Great Awakening, Transcendentalism became a 19th-century philosophical movement that arose as a reaction against 18th-century rationalism. The movement was a rebellion against Unitarianism: the belief that God exists as a person. Transcendentalists saw political and religious institutions as a corruption of an individual's purity and believed that goodness derived from man himself and nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson, father of the Transcendentalist movement, describes Transcendentalists as people who “will walk on their own two feet; we will work with our hands; we will say our opinion...because each one believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men.” Emerson's literary work, Self-Reliance, emphasizes the ideas of nonconformity and avoiding corruption by society's standards. Only through the opposition of the mass of society can one realize one's true value. By isolating yourself from society and institutions, you will develop a sense of intuition and individualism, as well as nurturing the innocence of the mind. The problem with society, as Emerson says, is that its goal is to adapt people. Conformity deprives the individual of the ability to think for himself and, therefore, what society wants is the only possible direction to follow. Relying on the judgments of others is cowardly and discourages you from thinking for yourself. Intuition, or having reasoning independent of truth, is one of the substantial aspects in Self-Reliance to be aware of one's worth. Perceiving the truth without the influence of other people's reasoning allows you to show your self-esteem and originality. Emerson states that “every heart trembles on that iron string” (186). In other words, every m...... middle of paper ......king who opposes the conventionality of society. The value of self-esteem, truly appreciating one's importance and uniqueness, is achieved only through non-conformity or separation from the principles of society. Works Cited Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Self-sufficiency". 2003. Literature and Language Arts. vol. 5. Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2003. 185-86. Press. Essentials of American literature. "Emerson's Essays". CliffsNotes Study Guides. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Web. January 8, 2012. Jamie, Jason, Jennifer H., Sarah, Sue, Laurel, Stephanie, Theresa, Julie, Pamela, Sean, Christine, and Jason W. “Self-Reliance Discussion.” Virginia Commonwealth University. Network. 08 January. 2012. .