Whitman's self-concept aligns with which philosophical tradition?

• A. Calvinism
• B. Realism
• C. Romanticism
• D. Transcendentalism

Answer: (D)

Whitman’s self-concept aligns with Transcendentalism because he treats the individual as a doorway to a larger spiritual reality found in nature and in the shared human spirit. He believes truth emerges from inner intuition and direct experience rather than from external authority or rigid doctrine, and he writes with a sense that the divine resides in both the self and the natural world. His poetry champions the democracy of the individual, the unity of all things, and a trust in personal conscience, all of which reflect the Over-Soul idea and the idea that spiritual insight comes from lived experience. While Romanticism also values emotion and nature, Whitman pushes beyond mere feeling to emphasize universal connectedness and spiritual democracy, making Transcendentalism the most fitting fit. Calvinism’s emphasis on predestination and strict doctrine and Realism’s focus on depicting social reality don’t capture his expansive, intuitive spirituality as accurately.