Transcendentalism in the movie Avatar and how both relate to nature - Essay Example

Transcendentalism in “Avatar” and the correlation to nature Transcendentalism is an American philosophical and political movement that protested the society’s Unitarian and intellectual culture. Their belief was rooted in individualism, humanism, and self-reliance. They also believed that the political and religious structure contaminates an individual’s purity (Smitha 14). In the fictional movie “Avatar”, the main character is contracted by his government to destroy a plant in order for them to mine precious minerals.

He instead sides with the natives and preserves the plant that natives consider Godlike. In this movie, transcendentalism is shown when Jake, the main the character breaks from his government and conforms to the natives’ ideology of the importance of nature. Nature is holy to the natives in the movie with God-like powers. Pantheism is the worship of creation. Transcendentalists believe that nature is a way of connection with God. The tree of souls in the movie is as a link to their mother. The destruction of nature by the government is similar to the industrial movement at the beginning of transcendentalism.

Technology is as bad and a destroyer of nature. The technology in the movie serves to harm nature, as is believed by transcendentalism (Grabiner 59).Avatar is transcendental in the way it portrays nature and new life. The religion in Avatar portraying God as being Supreme over all beings originates from transcendentalism. The most important message in Avatar is respect for nature. Some of the aspects portrayed in the movie are relevant in the world today. Nature is important and needs to be respected and preserved.

It is important not to sacrifice nature at the expense of other benefits (Smitha 126).Works CitedGrabiner, Ellen. I See You: The Shifting Paradigms of James Camerons Avatar. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2012. Internet resource.Smitha, Elaine. Screwing Mother Nature for Profit. London: Watkins, 2011. Print.