Analysis Of Self-Reliance By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Decent Essays
In the essay “Self-Reliance” written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, wants to encourage everyone to be happy as you are. Ralph Waldo Emerson states, “This sculpture in the memory is not without pre-established harmony”(77). To me this quote means that you are beautiful as you are, also be happy as you are. Emerson’s statement is incorporated into my definition of the American Dream because it practically says be happy with how you are. According to Emerson, you should do what you love and do what makes you happy. In “Self-Reliance”,Emerson says, ”A man is relieved and happy when he has put his heart into his work and done his best”(77). This statement can be really controversial because the outcome can be happiness or disappointment. I can relate to

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Ralph Emerson was a principal figure in the Transcendentalist movement of the 1840s, in addition to, he was also a well-known essayist and poet. His 1841 essay, “Self-Reliance”, emphasizes the importance of people acquiring their identity along with being true to themselves. Throughout his essay, Emerson strains the significance of individuals avoiding conformity and following their own thoughts and judgments. Emerson obtains his goal of conveying his message by generating multifarious allusions to compose his point. Allusions help connect the ideas within a piece of writing to the bigger picture; they also demonstrate that the author is indeed educated, contributing to their writing's credibility.…

    • 893 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He makes a very pessimistic statement “You notice that the happiness is composed half of relief, half of self-satisfaction; the latter half makes you distinctly nervous, and you fall to chewing on your achievements, discounting them. This then comes up becomes the spur to more achievements, more happiness, more guilt.” I completely agree with Brandt. When we arrive at our goal, we are satisfied for a brief moment. However, we have an even greater hunger to achieve that overcomes our satisfaction.…

    • 489 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Self-reliance is more than the picture of a family cutting out an existence on the wilderness. In spite of the fact that he appreciated the do-it-without anyone's help attitude and delighted in nature, Emerson's limits, the spot of genuine flexibility and opportunity, was a mental scene free from average quality and similarity. Independence is his clarification both deliberate and energetic of what he implied by this and of why he was moved to make it his catchphrase. Each individual has a one of a kind skill that must be uncovered when that individual has the strength to trust his or her own particular reflections and attitudes against all open dissatisfaction. By traditions of his time, Emerson utilizes the expressions "men" and "humankind"…

    • 246 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism is widely known throughout the world and some people believe themselves to be transcendentalists even to this day. Most know transcendentalism to be a movement started in the nineteenth century; it is a idealistic philosophical and social movement. Beliefs of a transcendentalist consist of but are not limited to: being a nonconformist, nature is spiritual, inspirational and symbolic, self-reliance is important and following personal beliefs is the key to a happiness and leads to a fulfilling life. To show, in Self-Reliance written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Civil Disobedience and Walden, both by Henry David Thoreau, focus on the topic of transcendentalism and share their own opinions towards the subject. However, Christopher…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Both Emerson and Thoreau incorporate their beliefs on the topic in their compositions. As I see it, one should live their life according to their idea of fulfilling, rather than how many do live in modern America; in consonance to status, to fit in, and being complacent. A lot of people say that one should live their life by doing what makes them happy. Everyone’s idea of happy is different. In a world where people lived how they “should”, happy would include being completely overjoyed with your life, yourself, and not needing others or material things to define you.…

    • 606 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Summarizing , the co-author also presents , "If you have a strong sense of contentment , it doesn't matter whether you obtain the object or not ; either way , you are still content'' ( Dalai Lama 27 ) . However , I believe it is not easy to have inner contentment all the time, especially when you work so hard to achieve a goal and you fail. When I came to US a couple of years ago I applied for many jobs since I needed to work and support myself financially . I was just focusing on finding a job and didn'nt have diexperienced that whenever I am just focusing on the future to obtain success for 3 months .…

    • 1160 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Prompt 3 Author Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a famous quote by him, he said “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” This quote relates to individuality and being to yourself meaning like should conquer own goal and lead to your own life. Don’t ever let anyone control your life, or tell you how live it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement Emerson wrote? Audiences who are reading this should ask themselves this question to understand this quote, go through all the accomplishments that they done by themselfs to see how individuality could be, and even see if they living their life the way they want, or not be forcing to live.…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In Jim Cullen “The American Dream”, Cullen argues that in order to obtain the American Dream you must continuously strive for what you want no matter what the circumstances are. Cullen explores different aspects of the American Dream and shows how it shaped the American identity. Two aspects Cullen describes is the pursuit of happiness and work ethic. Cullen describes pursuit of happiness as the bases of the whole American Dream as in if one wants to pursue happiness then they must do all the other aspects. Work ethic described by Jim Cullen is that in order to achieve the American dream you must work hard and if you don 't you will not become successful.…

    • 1223 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The American Dream “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” This powerful quote comes from the document that the foundation of our country is based on, The Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson. The document talks about being able to lead a happy and successful life in America. That is what the American Dream is based on, and while some people believe you can achieve the American Dream, others do not.…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Self-Reliance can be defined as a reliance on one’s own power, rather than those of others. This idea follows the Transcendentalist Movement; consequently, Ralph Waldo Emerson, a transcendentalist, was an advocate for self-reliance. Emerson defended the idea in an essay published in 1841 called Self-Reliance. In the text, Emerson effectively displays a need for self-reliance through the use of diction, syntax, and rhetorical devices to move his audience to practice self-reliance in their lives. Emerson opens up his essay using imagery to describe the benefit of self-reliance.…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    What is the American Dream? According to the author in paragraph one the American Dream is for a men and women to be noticed for who they truly are on the inside. For example, everyone has an incompatible personality that illustrates the type of person that they are. Also, they should also be noticed by the amazing, unique ability they were endowed with.…

    • 635 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    With careful consideration to the current condition of America and its citizens, one might ask the question as to what the American Dream is in the first place. It is a common term, laced thoroughly with connotations of pride and success, not only for the elite, but for the common man. Down throughout American history, great wars have been fought, and millions have died to protect these freedoms that we all cherish so greatly. It is the great sacrifice made by the brave men and women who gave their lives for liberty that is generally credited for America’s preservation of its freedoms. Yet, the American Dream is not freedom itself, but a great number of other aspects within life granted by freedom.…

    • 1017 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Self reliance is independence due to one 's own capabilities, judgment, or resources. Two authors Edgar Allan Poe and Ralph Waldo Emerson both in their own ways promote self reliance. The two authors however express their very similar opinions through very different writings. Poe 's and Emerson 's collected works presents their singular view that self reliance is an imperative part of achieving success.…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However, it is convenient to forget that I am responsible for putting in the work and that I am the only one who determines my fate. Towards the end of his talk, Wooden quoted a philosopher as saying, “The journey is better than the end.” This quote made me pause because I frequently get wrapped up in reaching a goal and disregard the work that I am doing to achieve it. The idea that the working could bring more satisfaction than the result compels me to stop and fully appreciate and experience the…

    • 961 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The United States of America is an amusement park where its inhabitants and visitors all look forward to the sweet awards of freedom, opportunity, and--its cotton candy--the “American Dream”. The “American Dream” is an idea that has been perceived differently throughout the years. Regardless of individual interpretation, the term still exists and has continuously drawn in a great number of people from all over the world. As our society evolves, population grows, and new officials step up to lead the country, the “American Dream” could seem improbable to achieve. However, this only appears so in the eye of the beholder.…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays