Ralphs

Patrick Henry, Self-Reliance, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, by Jonathan Edwards all represent something different to their respective readers, they all define the role of the individual as believing in something in order to better the greater good and community. In Speech to the Virginia Convention, Patrick Henry states belief in patriotism and how fighting for this cause is for the greater good of the colonies. In Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes…

1. Do you agree with the main assertions in Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance?” How does it relate to Bryant’s “To A Waterfowl?” In “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson the main belief is that each individual should depend on themselves and themselves alone. Emerson talks about how trying to conform to the rules and views of society can cause a person to lose their own identity. Emerson stresses that the thoughts an individual has while in solitude is who the person really is; however, people…

Transcendentalism In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”, he expresses that one should never conform but instead follow one’s own mind. He wrote this while he helped start the Transcendentalist movement. In Henry David Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience”, he explains that it is okay to disobey the rule of law if it is unjust. This is written in response to the questions he was ask on why he went to jail. Both of these works were published around the same time. “Self-Reliance” was published in 1841…

Self-reliance is an essay that was written in 1841 by American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson. The essay is written to capture and understand Emerson’s thoughts, it obtains the most complete statement of Emerson’s more popular themes noncomfomity, the need for every individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow their own instincts and ideas. Emerson states “Nothing is at last sacred, but the integrity of your own mind” (Emerson). The essay focuses on Emerson’s…

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay The Poet focuses on his perception of a poet and a poet’s role in society. A particular part of the essay that I thought was important was Emerson’s view that a “man is only half himself, the other half is his expression” (Emerson). This is an important statement because it accurately reflects how mankind is perceived. Half of what makes a person is known only to the individual themselves. Only they know their true thoughts, feelings, motivations, and reasoning. On…

Throughout Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, a major concept is negativity toward conformity. Emerson was born in the early 1800s and grew up during the age of transcendentalism. Non-conformity was a key idea in transcendentalism, a philosophy which Emerson was a significant contributor to. It was believed that self reliance is how humans function at their best. Non-conformity mentioned in Self-Reliance creates unnecessary conflict and leads to a stagnant society Non-conformity creates a…

American Transcendentalism was a great movement in the middle of the nineteenth century (Campbell). Two of the most influential, transcendentalist writers of this era is Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau expressed similar meanings in their stories. Emerson’s The American Scholar explains the functions, virtues, and roles of an individual. Thoreau’s Walden is a continuation of Emerson’s The American Scholar, in that Thoreau gives a deeper explanation of the…

simplified life. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two of the most famous and influential transcendentalists. The ideals of Emerson and Thoreau seemed to be connected with the actions of the famous beatle, John Lennon. Having been a part of the most famous band, The Beatles, one cannot question the influence that his music…

Chris McCandless’s life serves as an excellent model for following Ralph Waldo Emerson’s idea of self-reliance. By claiming that “No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature,” Emerson argues that the ability of an individual to impose their own self-restrictions demonstrates their ability to follow self-reliance. This concept seems logical as it uses the idea that generally, individuals stray from their moral codes instead of laws set by an outside force. The famous, controversial Milgram…

This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” There are so many different ways to interpret this quote. Some may say that it is true and people need to learn how to explore new things. While others might disagree with him and say there is nothing wrong with it and that it is okay to be content with your life. When I read this quote I think…