Rhetorical Devices In Self Reliance

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In "Self-Reliance," philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that people shouldn't be reliant on what others in society think. The main point of this essay is for people in society to realize that the only way to be comfortable is to be uncomfortable first. Throughout the essay it can be complicating to understand what Emerson is trying to accomplish. In the first paragraph Emerson states," The soul always hears an admonition in such lines." He also writes," Watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind." Lastly Emerson claims," we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinions from another." When Emerson states," The soul always hears an admonition in such lines, let the subject be what it may" he wants the reader to think about …show more content…

Through this statement Emerson is telling the reader to trust themselves. When one has an original thought they tend to disregard that thought because they think others will judge them. When Emerson states," Watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind within"(par. 1) he is talking about a moment of ingenious that no one can put into words. In paragraph twenty-six Emerson refers to the same exact," gleam of light." Emerson believes in a higher power, so when he is referring to a gleam of light he is talking about a moment when one truly feels that higher power. In paragraph one Emerson claims," the highest merit we ascribe to Moses, Plato, and Milton is, that they set naught books and traditions, and spoke not what men but what they thought. This relates to the statement," the firmament of bards and sages"(par. 1) because when Moses, Plato, and Milton first tried telling others about there moment of ingenious, others in society would treat them like they were crazy. Even though others in society thought they were crazy they still kept on sharing with other what they believed to be correct and eventually others decided to finally truly listen to what they had to say. They didn't care what other people had to say or that they thought they were crazy because they know what they experienced and nothing can change

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