“To be awake means to be alive,” and to be awake in the age of Romanticism meant that one could witness literature as an intellectual achievement. Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Walt Whitman were three authors during this time who wrote about an idea that would later become the theme of many articles, discussions, and lectures, enlightenment. Although some may not have recognized the importance of these authors' work at the time, their ideas and beliefs have captivated the minds of many people. Awakening, the idea of ​​intellectual effort throughout daily life, is essential to becoming self-reliant, creating a more intellectual and better community, and growing closer to God. Autonomy is discussed in many works by Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman. if we want to understand the idea of ​​enlightenment, then we must understand autonomy. In his book Walden, Thoreau writes about the idea that to be enlightened, one must be self-reliant. In Walden, Thoreau leaves his life in Concord, Massachusetts, to live isolated from civilization. He writes: "I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, to face only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach me, and no, when I died, discover that I had not lived” (Thoreau, Walden). Thoreau says he is going to live in the woods because he wants to live freely and doesn't know what he is going to do next. He wants to see if he can learn what life is really about and live in a way he has never experienced before. Thoreau's beliefs of self-reliance are that he must move away from civilization and strip down to live only with the essentials of life, without making choices based on his community or societal norms. When Thoreau...... middle of paper...... God. Autonomy is the idea of ​​individuality and making decisions for oneself. In turn, the creation of a more intellectual society requires autonomy and belief in intellectual distinction. Finally, drawing closer to God allows one to realize that they are only a small part of an even larger concept. Thoreau, Emerson, and Whitman showed that intellect is the most important aspect of their works and they believe that everyone should pursue these three facets of life. Works Cited Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1854. Print Thoreau, Henry David. Civil disobedience. Unknown City: Unknown, 1849. Print.Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Autonomy. Unknown City: Unknown Publisher, 1841. Print.Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Nature. Unknown City: Unknown Publisher, 1836. Print.Whitman, Walt. Grass leaves. Unknown city: unknown publisher, 1855. Print.