Prompt Transcendentalists believe that society and its institutions—particularly organized religion and political parties—corrupt the purity of the individual. They have faith that people are at their best when truly "self-reliant" and independent. These themes are expolored in the works of the authors that you have read in this unit. Write an essay to analyze the themes in two or more works from this unit. Discuss how the themes reflect transcendentalist views. Be sure to cite evidence from the text to support your analysis. "Civil Disobedience"

Read the passage. the dust bowl during the 1930s, extreme drought and high winds made life incredibly difficult in the great plains region of the united states. in many areas, rainfall was forty percent less than normal. the soil became extremely dry, and when strong winds blew, they created tremendous dust storms. these so-called “black blizzards” were so thick that they made daylight seem like dusk. during this terrible period, the great plains region of the united states was named the “dust bowl.” over the next few years, the drought continued, and the winds created more dust storms. in some places, the drought and high winds lasted for eight years. many people wondered if the black blizzards would ever end. which statement about this paragraph’s main idea is true? this paragraph’s main idea is stated in the topic sentence. there are not enough details to support the main idea. this paragraph’s main idea is implied. this paragraph does not express a main idea.