Analysis Of Emerson's Self-Reliance By Ralph Waldo Emerson

I believe that, essentially, life consists of a series of choices. A grouping of these choices in one direction or another makes us who we are, and ultimately we have control over our lives. What makes one person different from another is his own set of choices. When going through life’s motions, we develop certain worldviews and ideas and values to live by. We develop an opinion of what makes a person “great.” In the well-known essay “Self-Reliance”, Ralph Waldo Emerson provides a beautiful way of approaching these choices, and he reveals a very inspiring set of values centralized around going through life answering only to yourself. I love the way Emerson evaluates the society we live

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay titled “Self-Reliance” he speaks on the topic of the individual, creating the idea that an individual being independent leads to greatness. Emerson’s writing within this memoir is relatable to young individuals who are looking for themselves, an individual must avoid conformity and false consistency while following their own thoughts making themselves an individual. Within the essay, Emerson uses a range of rhetorical devices to prove that every individual can do great by being an individual and not like everyone else, something that young people everywhere should hear while growing up with the heinous act of peer pressure.

There is a large abundance of controversy between individuals over certain topics and what they truly mean. An example of one of these topics is self-reliance. Although there are multiple opinions on the meaning and use of self-reliance the true definition, as found in the dictionary is “a reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities” (Merriam-Webster). Many writers spoke in their writing about their past experiences with self-reliance and what they believe it to be. A few of these writers include Doctor Zhivago, Jon Krakauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walden, and Peter Buffett. By reading these author’s writings you can clearly understand their views and ideas on self-reliance.

In the essay Self Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson addressed the topic of originality and uniqueness to depict the idea that these are the qualities that make people great. Emerson stated that “We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represent” in order to argue that each person has a uniqueness because their environments is unique (Emerson 2). The quote infers that every person in society has an ability to possess a unique idea. Every person has a unique idea, which means that every person can become a free thinker. Those who do not act on their thoughts and ideas due to societal rules lose the chance to become unique. Emerson believed that “Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not”, meaning something sparks society to do something, everyone starts doing it but why they do it is lost over time (Emerson 20). The wave of society represents the masses and the water that makes up the wave are the individuals in society. Every person has an ability to possess a divine thought but cannot ferment it because of societal restraints (the wave). Due to the influence of society, one lacks the strength to act on their original thought and follows the crowd. Martin Luther acted on his original thought but thousands of people adopted his thoughts, even though the reasons for his regional thought are no longer present. Instead of creating and following their own ideas, they adopted Luther’s instead. In society, many people follow and imitate well established beliefs, thus leading to the lack of divine thought. In the reading, Emerson came to a conclusion that all people have divine thoughts but cannot act on them because of societal influences.

Ralph Emerson composed “self-reliance” in 1841. Emerson writing became one of the most influential pieces of writing on American Spirit of his time. He believes that we should strive to keep and have individuality, we shouldn’t conform to others. He shows this through his many rhetorical strategies such as irony, metaphors, and allusion.

Imagine a world where there is no society. Imagine if there was no technology and everybody just lived in isolation. In Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance,” he illustrates his ideas on the tenet by using metaphors. Nonconformity means being mentally and physically separated from society, a quality which sometimes overlaps with the ideas behind self-reliance. In “Where I Lived and What I Lived For,” Thoreau uses personal experiences, description, and problem-and-solution. Emerson and Thoreau begin by using different techniques, Thoreau using problem-and-solution and description, while Emerson uses cause-and-effect, yet both use cause-and-effect to develop the idea that one should be independent of society in the end.

Individuals are misrepresented by society, and often negatively affected by it. As stated by Virginia Woolf, “It is unthinkable that any woman in Shakespeare’s day should have had Shakespeare’s genius”. Women were (and, to an extent still are) often stereotyped by society, falsely categorized as unintelligent, uncultured, and unskilled. In addition, if she tried to defy this stereotype and create poetry or express any act of skill – she is to be severely encumbered by the men of society until she bears it no longer. For example, Woolf states – “It needs little skill in psychology to be sure that

SELF-RELIANCE Self-Reliance is to depend on one's own powers and resources rather than the influence, opinions, and directives of others. Emerson’s concept of self-reliance is that each person should listen to their inner voice, instead of others around them. Emerson speaks strongly on how others tend to follow the popular choice, or the crowd that leads the way but does not to follow one’s conscious and what one truly feels. When Emerson says “you find those who think they know your duty better than you know it” he hopes to advice people, to trust their own choices and decisions; instead of those who feel like they have it all out for you.

“To believe your own thought, to believe what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men, ꟷ that is genius,” this is what Emerson thought about the people who were courageous enough to be individualistic in a society that “is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.” Emerson’s Self–Reliance essay reflects an idea that is still present in today’s society. One excellent example of how this idea is still echoing in American popular culture is its representation through TV advertisements. One very recent portrayal of this is the “Don’t Do They” commercial created by Mountain Dew. In this commercial, Russell Westbrook says that people in society say “don’t practice the shots you wouldn’t do in a game… they say

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” Emerson explains the importance of self-reliance, self-reliance in an individual and the effect society has on self-reliance. Throughout his essay he promotes self-reliance as an ideal and differentiates it with many aspects of conformity. What Emerson really tries to convey through the whole essay is to trust yourself more, believe in your potential and do not conform to society expectations. In comparison to Emerson, Plato's Apology incorporates a lot of Emerson’s notions of self-reliance. In the Apology, Socrates pleads his case to a jury and throughout his case Socrates explains how his philosophy is to teach others to become self-aware, to improve your soul and to follow your moral conscience.

In the James Harvey Robinson story “On Various Kinds of Thinking” and the Ralph Waldo Emerson story “Self Reliance” both of the authors talk about the different ways people process information. Along with this, the two authors address how people pursue knowledge in different ways. For Robinson, he proves that people do not only apply their minds to work ideas out, but also the persuasion of others. On the other hand, Emerson states that we have learned to follow since it is all we have ever known and do not wish to risk stepping out of our comfort zones. Both of these authors write about similar ways of learning, but their ways also differentiate from each other.

David Anguiano English 3P, Period 5 17 October 2017 An Author’s World In everyday barriers, claims or actions commence to get through them, but Emerson's claims in his essay “Self-reliance,” which give the general points of religion,trusting instincts, and equalism physically, but not mentally which shows the strength in the minds of communities then and now, which means it’s practical still, because individualism is used to get through the obstacles in your way beneficial and unbeneficial.(T1) What the author stated in his claims, For example, most change occurs to a person because of their surroundings determining their strength mentality. Back in 2012, New York Times article writers Dan Frosch and Kirk Johnson, who wrote of a man James Holmes who imitated a comic book character named “The Joker,” to the point of killing twelve innocent citizens and injured fifty-eight. From witnesses, news reporters, and newspapers in his apartment they have seen the active bombs but he acted out this way because of his imitation of a crazy clown, nevertheless it led him to go to a public place in Colorado for which he caused chaos, killed many people and endangered more with his own home having bombs ready to blow, to illustrate, a psychotic clown. In his apartment, many homemade explosives had been set to burst if anyone entered his apartment which could have threatened lives around the building. According to Holmes planned at least two ways to detonate the homemade bombs by a trip wire and a remote control pyrotechnic system. Accordingly, each day friendships grow stronger, according to the source, “Work Friends Increase Productivity, Study Says, And We're Just As Surprised As You Are” (T4) from the article writer, Alanna Greco states with normal work hours friends you are likely to do good work but on your own in Emerson's words it states it is better to think to yourself and follow the guts a person has. Most can think better when they are on their own instead of having to go through the hassle of dealing with friends or coworkers. For example, a famous man who worked hard but on his own till one of his stories would be published,leading to his name being Stephen King, no matter who turned him down his gut stuck to

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” Author Napoleon Hill tells us through this that you must go through the hard times to be able to progress as a person. If you go your own way it is going to be hard and you need to use your strength to make it your way. “Self-Reliance” reveals to us the mental strength you need to succeed in life and how you must express yourself in society. Tho movie Brave tells us the story of a princess who wont do what her parents want her to do. She does her own thing and finds out her true self and who she can be. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” and the movie Brave both prove that strongly pursuing your own way of life will leave you happy with your choices and leads you

A piece of literature that has surprised me is Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance". Emerson is known for using convoluted language and therefore I was extremely uncomfortable when asked to read it for a class. However, once I became used to understanding his vocabulary, I realized, much to my surprise, that what Emerson wrote in 1841 still holds true today about human nature. Individuals need to learn to “trust thyself” as that is the only way he can move forward. This philosophy can be seen today in the cases of many successful people such as Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey had lived through a rough childhood and was actually called unsuited for television. However, it was her belief in herself that pushed her through her hardships and made

“ A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best.”