Self-reliance: Transcendentalism and Emerson

Emerson’s Self Reliance essay is a motivational to say the least. Several quotes from the essay challenge our current society's moral compass, even though it was written 150 years ago. The essay stresses the necessity of relying on oneself for knowledge and guidance. Unlike other writings that are often compared to the Bible, Emerson’s essay conveys the same ideas as the Bible, without using scenes or characters to get his message across.

1. The main theme of the piece “Self-Reliance” is that one should never conform to the way that society views that they should because in doing that, a person loses their individuality. Emerson believed that a person should, “Speak [their] latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense,” meaning that if a person chooses to march to the beat of their own drum, then nobody can tell them their opinion is wrong because at least they are taking a chance and speaking their mind. Emerson’s definition of self-reliance is similar to the common use because both definitions discuss how one should take care of personal needs and be independent. Emerson himself stated that, “the great man is he who

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 “Self-Reliance”, Emerson adopts the rhetorical strategy of aphorisms to annex what he thinks by enriching his thesis, while allowing a pause in the reader’s mind to comprehend just what he is saying. Emerson’s honest aphorism advises people to actually believe in themselves in order to be triumphant by saying, “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men, --- that is genius” (Emerson 1) and “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson 3). The aphorism demonstrates that believing in themselves, and what is important to them, the reader, is what everyone else does, that being an individual is a genius idea. Comparing this to what society, especially the younger individuals with in society, they themselves hear differently, that they

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” Emerson calls for each person in society to be wholly true to themselves. He claims that it is most rewarding to the individual and the society for people to believe in one’s own thoughts and not in the thoughts of others. Emerson believes that conformity will ultimately lead to an individual’s demise because by living for others, people are not being true to themselves. Therefore in order to have a well-formed society, citizens should focus inward and have confidence in their own ideas before beginning to look towards other individuals; moreover, Emerson calls individuals not only in “Self-Reliance,” but also in numerous essays to act independently from conformity and to live for themselves.

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.

The Essay on Self-Reliance. Kalpaz, 2017. First published in 1841, Self-reliance took a long time to finalize. The essay stresses the necessity of relying on oneself for knowledge and guidance through life. He believes that independent thought is vital to human well-being, and asserting yourself from other ideas. The most important idea from this essay is to Trust yourself, and follow what you feel in your heart is true.

Self-Reliance reflects Emerson’s beliefs on Transcendentalism by stating how Emerson believes in inspiration, happiness, and the spiritual measures of inspiration through the depth of the human mind itself. “The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried” (Pg. 774). Emerson in Self-Reliance puts majority of the focus on people trusting themselves, using good judgement, and their own knowledge because a new independent idea makes history not the idea that is copied. “Trust thyself; every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Pg. 774). Through this idea that Emerson created, the thought of people trusting themselves, using good judgement, and their own knowledge

Emerson demonstrates that since “man has built a coach,” he “has lost the use of his feet” (5). He means that in the past, man would rely on himself for transportation by using his own two feet. Emerson uses a metaphor and cause-and-effect to explain that after the transportation is provided by technological advances, man will no longer use his feet. He will go from relying on himself to relying on society, especially if everybody else also does so. The cause, man building a coach, results in him no longer able to use his feet. The cause-and-effect teaches nonconformity because the reader is informed that by relying on society, man has lost the most important skill of all, which is self-reliance. As a result, he becomes weaker as an individual. In order to be a nonconformist, Emerson believes that one should not be afraid to be different from everybody else. By using cause-and-effect, Emerson is able to convey his thoughts about separating one’s mentality from society’s.

Benjamin Anastas, in his article, The Foul Reign of Emerson’s ‘Self-Reliance’, critiques the teachings of Emerson’s essay, and argues against the use of those teachings in a classroom. Anastas’ purpose is to make his audience question the teachings of Self-Reliance and the transcendental values behind it. He adopts a semi-formal, sarcastic tone in order to relate to his audience, while also accomplishing his goal of getting the reader to reflect. The Foul Reign of Emerson’s ‘Self-Reliance’ is effective in using allusion, comparison and sarcasm to convince people with basic knowledge of the essay of questioning its teachings and values. Benjamin Anastas’ claim is initially solidified by his overall knowledge of, and experience with, Self-Reliance.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” was written in 1841 in New England during the Transcendentalist Movement, which was a revolt against the “Age of Reason” and the beginning of Romanticism. Emerson’s essay is about Transcendentalism, the belief that every human has his own way of thinking and personal inborn knowledge to build his opinion, independent from the common beliefs of the community and he should believe in and express his opinion to be successful. Emerson supports the idea of Transcendentalism by urging his readers to trust their own ideas, beliefs and common sense, to listen to and to trust their inner voice and to hold the popular opinion back from influencing their way of thinking, if they want to be successful. He tells

A Quote from, Emerson Self-reliance tells how people should consider themselves, “Insist on yourself; never imitate, your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another you have an extemporaneous half possession” (Emerson 166). Emerson’s is encouraging people to be self-Reliant and use their own instincts. A person should trust their selves before other; because they are the only ones who can see into their own heart.

Throughout the essay “Self Reliance”, one of the main concepts the author addressed was that having self empowerment is one of the prominent qualities to have for oneself. Emerson preached, “Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day… Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood” (Emerson). The main point the author tried to convey was that some of the most significant people in history followed their own personal opinions and

Often regarded as the leader of the Transcendentalist literary movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that the individual must look inward to find truth and knowledge. He emphatically stressed that one must practice self-reliance: the ability to trust one’s intuition and not conform to societal standards. Through the use of strict form, powerful imagery, and a wise tone, Emerson’s poem “Intellect” urges us to stay true to ourselves by refusing the practice of blind obedience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” is a prime example of a transcendental piece of work. Emerson emphasizes intuition by showing how people push away the idea that God is working through them: “betraying their perception that the Eternal was stirring at their heart, working through their hands, predominating in all their being” (p. 550). He also shows that all beings are unified with God: “It must be that when God speaketh, he should communicate not one thing, but all things” (p. 557). Another characteristic of Transcendentalism that Emerson displays is that people may experience God first hand: “When a man lives with God, his voice shall be as sweet as the murmur of the brook and the rustle of the corn” (p. 558). Ralph Emerson’s essay “Self-Reliance”