Eustace Conway, a man of nature, brotherhood, struggle and conflict, perfectly represents the transcendental ideal with flawless execution. Eustace lived the lives of many Transcendentalists, such as Thoreau, Whitman, and Frost. He has long dreamed of owning a pristine land, untouched by any man, a place where he can live and teach. His dream came true for him and that land is called Turtle Island. But Eustace, a simple man, longs for the day when people will come to their senses and return to where they came from: nature. Until this day arrives, Eustace feels the need to educate people about how he lives and how fulfilling it can be. He argues that we all live in boxes. From our homes, to our cars. The source of our food, the entertainment we consume, it all comes from a box. He would like us all to get out of these boxes and return to the perpetual circle that is nature (Gilbert, paraphrasing). Eustace Conway's life was a great, transcendental experience. From an early age he expressed a great admiration for wild nature. At just twelve years old, Eustace ventured into the woods where he lived alone for a week. And then, at seventeen, he moved into the wilderness, where he lay in a teepee for seventeen years. Not only did he hike the entire 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail, but he paddled 1,600 miles down the Mississippi River. He crossed America on horseback and kayaked in Alaska. By living this life, Eustace faces the harsh truths of nature, as explained by Eustace himself, “...only those who live in the wilderness can recognize the central truth of existence, that death lives right alongside us at every moment , as close and relevant as life itself, and that this real...... middle of paper ......f an American success story.Works Cited1.Author not listed. “About Eustace Conway.” About Eustace Conway. Turtle Island Preserve and Web. April 10, 2014. .2.Chicago Public Radio, prod. “Adventures in the Simple Life.” This American life. WBEZ, Chicago, Illinois, September 11, 1998. Radio.3.Gilbert, Elizabeth. “The Last American Man.” GQ. GQ and Web magazine. 16 April 2014. .4.Gilbert, Elisabetta. The Last American Man. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.5. "The Legend: Mountain Man Eustace Conway." Our state magazine. Ed. Diane Summerville. "Our State Magazine" Webpage, n.d. Web. April 10. 2014. .