Self-Reliance, By Ralph Waldo Emerson

In “Self-Reliance”, Ralph Waldo Emerson suggests that in order for a person to be self-sufficient, one must avoid conformity and false uniformity. Instead, he advises a person to follow his or her own instincts and ideas. Emerson’s idea of individuality and nonconformity is a pathway for a person to be self-reliant.
Emerson’s essay proposes that to reach one’s self-reliance, one must have a quality that distinguishes them from others. To illustrate the theme of individualism, he gives an analogy by saying, “that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till” (550). In this metaphor, Emerson compares kernel of nourishing …show more content…
Even though hard work and time commitment are required to grow a cornfield, growing and nurturing one’s own farm, in results, gives sense of accomplishment. In contrast, by eating someone else’s corn does not give a satisfaction that a person would get if they he or she put times into cultivating it. The real satisfaction in life only occurs when people are able to fulfill it by themselves, not because of other people’s expectation of them. This analogy accentuates on the value of individual’s ability to be self-reliance. Furthermore, Emerson gives his readers a motto about individualism: “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (550). Emerson uses an old pronoun, “thyself”, that even people in his time does not use anymore. When using “thyself”, it gives a sense of wisdom and formality, which Emerson intends to do to emphasize on the importance of this epigram. Trusting oneself is an example of one of the central themes in his essay, individuality. To be independent, a person must believe in their “spontaneity or instinct”, or in another word, having “self-trust” (556). In addition, “every heart vibrates to that iron string” symbolizes that …show more content…
Being consistent, in Emerson’s interpretation, is opposite of being self-reliant because this action does not allow a person to make progression or changes in their life. Hobgoblin, a fearsome mythical creature, symbolizes fear. Moreover, the “little minds” are too small to open up or let new ideas flows into one’s head. I am opposite of the example Emerson gives non self-reliant person. Three years ago when I first moved to Cranbrook, I became more self-reliant. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and moved a boarding school in a different country from where I am from. It was a big change to make in my life, since it was my first time living abroad by myself. Back then, my life was very consistence, I lived at home, go to the same school, and do the same activities. Here at Cranbrook, I got to try different things that I never experienced before, which changed my lifestyle. Even though fear develops throughout the first few months, it did not let me down. My mind was open enough to accept the changes that happened. I was able to live without my parents for the first time, do my laundry for the first time, live in a room with a stranger that I just met, and survive many more situations that I never encountered before. I overcame fear and became less