As America entered her antebellum period, there was a shifting of culture while the constitution remained the foundation of the nation, people began to question the injustices of certain people groups, Indians, Blacks and women. What is more, many writers touted the greatness of America, while others doubted whether the institutions of the nation were worth following. Among these writers was Ralf Waldo Emerson and Sojourner Truth. Although it is unknown if their lives intersected, there is a connection between their writings, yet not in a positive way. Emerson’s views of humanity and one’s ability to be the best judge of their life is all that was wrong with America in his lifetime and Truth does a great job exposing this fallacy. First of
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Being that Emerson was an Unitarian, he believed in the bible, yet came to the point of suggesting Jesus was not God, but rather the “highest expression of man” (Baym 505). More importantly, Emerson did not believe that humans were deprived; but rather, he believed that the human mind was divine (Baym 507). No other writing of Emerson expresses this view that his work of Self-Reliance. In this essay, Emerson explains his distrust of institutions, perhaps because they had failed him and rather instists that people must trust their mind and depend on themselves rather than others. Specifaclly he states,
It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance,—a new respect for the divinity in man,—must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men; in their religion; in their education; in their pursuits; their modes of living; their association; in their property; in their speculative views (Baym 561).
The “divinity in man” stretches the Bible’s teaching of humanity being created in the image of God and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead, Emerson is stating his belief …show more content…
Truth was born a slave and five of her children were sold into slavery (Baym 775). She was fully aware of the injustices experience by both blacks and women. Yet, “In 1842, she had a visionary experience that left her convinced God wanted her to speak the truth about the evils of Americans’ sins against blacks and women” (Baym 775). This vision led her to give a speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, which moved the cause of freedom forward. In this speech, Truth address the mind as well by saying, “As far as intellect, all I can say is, if women have a pint and man a quart, why cant she have her little pint full?” (Baym 775). Yet, her use of the mind is not to make judgment, but rather point to the similarities between men and women. She goes on to say, “I am a women’s rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man” (Baym 775). IN many ways, Truth contrasts Emerson by insisting the men and women are dependent upon one another and very similar, by stating “I have heard much about the sexes being equal” (Baym 775). However, she appeals to the power of Scripture for the transformation of society rather than “self-reliance.” She proclaims, “I have read the bible and have learned that Eve caused the man to sin.
Being that Emerson was an Unitarian, he believed in the bible, yet came to the point of suggesting Jesus was not God, but rather the “highest expression of man” (Baym 505). More importantly, Emerson did not believe that humans were deprived; but rather, he believed that the human mind was divine (Baym 507). No other writing of Emerson expresses this view that his work of Self-Reliance. In this essay, Emerson explains his distrust of institutions, perhaps because they had failed him and rather instists that people must trust their mind and depend on themselves rather than others. Specifaclly he states,
It is easy to see that a greater self-reliance,—a new respect for the divinity in man,—must work a revolution in all the offices and relations of men; in their religion; in their education; in their pursuits; their modes of living; their association; in their property; in their speculative views (Baym 561).
The “divinity in man” stretches the Bible’s teaching of humanity being created in the image of God and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead, Emerson is stating his belief …show more content…
Truth was born a slave and five of her children were sold into slavery (Baym 775). She was fully aware of the injustices experience by both blacks and women. Yet, “In 1842, she had a visionary experience that left her convinced God wanted her to speak the truth about the evils of Americans’ sins against blacks and women” (Baym 775). This vision led her to give a speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, which moved the cause of freedom forward. In this speech, Truth address the mind as well by saying, “As far as intellect, all I can say is, if women have a pint and man a quart, why cant she have her little pint full?” (Baym 775). Yet, her use of the mind is not to make judgment, but rather point to the similarities between men and women. She goes on to say, “I am a women’s rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man” (Baym 775). IN many ways, Truth contrasts Emerson by insisting the men and women are dependent upon one another and very similar, by stating “I have heard much about the sexes being equal” (Baym 775). However, she appeals to the power of Scripture for the transformation of society rather than “self-reliance.” She proclaims, “I have read the bible and have learned that Eve caused the man to sin.