During the New England Renaissance period of 1840-1855, literature underwent two very distinct movements known as Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism. Both movements were very influential and consisted of authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson (Transcendentalist) and Nathaniel Hawthorne (Anti-Transcendentalist). Concentrating their ideas on human nature and intuition, rather than on logic and reason, both these movements served as a flourishing revolt against previously accepted ideas. The Transcendental movement focused its ideas on the essential unity of …showed first 75 words of 770 total…

…showed last 75 words of 770 total…knew (or wanted to admit) what the black veil symbolized, Mr. Hooper running into nature's darkness is symbolic of this Anti-Transcendental idea. Both the Transcendental and Anti-Transcendental movements, influenced literature greatly. The authors during the movements concentrated on reflecting the ideas (of the corresponding movement) to the reader in a symbolic way through literature. The literature builds the idea of humanity and nature in different perspectives, which reflects the principle ideas of both the movements.