Final answer:
The word 'transcendentalism' includes the root word 'transcend,' which means to go beyond, making option a correct. It pertains to a movement that believed in surpassing empirical experience for deeper spiritual understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The root word that means to go beyond is found in the option a. transcendentalism. This word is derived from the root 'transcend,' which means to go beyond or rise above. Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement that emphasized going beyond empirical experience to understand deeper spiritual truths. In contrast to transcendentalism, which suggests going beyond the ordinary, the other options, such as b. romanticism, c. puritan, and d. gothic, do not contain a root with this meaning. Romanticism glorified nature and the common person, puritan refers to a religious group seeking purity of worship, and gothic is related to a style of literature and architecture that is moody and dark.