Comparing Emerson's Self-Reliance and Dunbar's We Wear the Mask

1820 Words4 Pages

Comparing Emerson's Self-Reliance and Dunbar's We Wear the Mask

In Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson condemns false appearances. Paul Laurence Dunbar's We Wear the Mask also supports this belief. However, there is a difference in the views of these two works. Emerson believes that people can shed their false social appearances and live a life true to themselves and others. Conversely, Dunbar thinks these pretenses are necessary. The authors' word choices and images support this argument.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Self-Reliance" expresses his striving for individuality, rebellion against authority, and rejection of false social appearances. This is shown through his non-conformist writing style and ideas. On page 1034, Emerson states "Society is a joint-stock company in which the members agree for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater." To me, this image is of people giving up what they believe so they can protect themselves. "Securing" is making something safe or free from risk of loss, so "securing of his bread" could symbolize a person protecting their feelings or place in society. The price for this is "to surrender the liberty and culture." So, in order to protect themselves people must surrender or give up their liberty (freedom) and culture (beliefs).

Emerson also states that "virtues are penances...Their works are done as an apology or extenuation of their living in the world"(p. 1035). Virtue is righteousness while a penance is an act to show sorrow for a wrongdoing. "Works" refer to chores or efforts at righteousness. "Apology" means regret and "extenuate" can mean to cover up. "Living in the world" could be symbolic of the lying and deceit that people do in everyday life. Therefore, people labor to appear righteous in order to make up for, or cover up, the bad things that they do.

On page 1036 Emerson says, "We come to wear one cut of face and figure." This sounds symbolically like putting on a mask or false appearance. Later, on the same page, Emerson talks about "the forced smile which we put on in company." "Forced" means to strain or produce with effort. Consequently, this "smile" we put on in public is not easily shown, as true emotions would be, but produced difficultly as if it was fake or not true.

Emerson does not subscribe to this outward falseness or the desire to appear righteous.

Show More
Related

  • We Wear The Mask And Lord Of The Flies Comparison Essay

    1256 Words  | 3 Pages

    For fear of judgment based on appearance, any human being might cover up his sorrows as to not display any signs of weakness. Throughout Dunbar’s poem, the characters reflect upon their perception of the world and ironically accept the world the way it is. Revealing the true nature of the world, Dunbar states, “Why should the world be over-wise, /In counting all our tears and sighs?” (Dunbar 6). The poet insists that everyone need to be more comfortable and open to new ideas while embracing each others uniquenesses defined by strengths and weaknesses. The world was never “over-wise” because people dismiss the idea of helping others in fear of ruining their own reputation. Because of the utter nature of society, citizens have no other option but to wear a mask of apathy and cover up their insecurities. The narrator feels the need to conceal their feelings by “wear[ing] the mask that grins and lies” (Dunbar 1). They use “lies” to cover themselves, but at the same time question why no one seems to care. This contradiction complicates the battle between the world and the individual. Nevertheless, by changing their identities, they spread the idea of disguise, making everyone blind to the truth of human

    Read More

  • Biography of Martha Dandridge Custis Washington: The First First Lady

    844 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sklar, Kathryn Kish. "Washington, Martha Custis." World Book Student. World Book, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Abolitionist Movement after the 1930s

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    The antislavery movement before 1830s was menial, partially slow and not well supported. The antislavery movement before the 1830s was the spark of fire that led to the abolitionist acts after the 1830s. Abolitionism of the 1830s and on led to a great movement in America. The division of a country came at hand, leading up to various riots white men themselves killing each other over the freeing of slaves. The subjugated Negros fighting for a true place in American society under the hands of various abolitionist leaders who gave it all to stand up for the African Americans. They were to be heard all over the union causing divisions and discomfort throughout a close to dividing nation. Abolitionist movement after the 1830s had a greater impact on the nation as a whole with a spark of the antislavery acts before the 1830s and the failure of this movement, the very well spoken and praised leaders, and the well spoken and touching propaganda against slavery.

    Read More

  • Comparing Ideology in Emerson's Self Reliance and Catcher in the Rye

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human beings all around the world are different in many ways. They all have their unique and physical characteristics, as well as different personalities. They each also have different ideas and thoughts on different topics. America is made up of a great amount of diverse people with diverse, even conflicting opinions and ideas. Diversity is a major component of the foundation of our country. The cliché of American as a salad bowl is extremely true. Every person is different and every person in his or her own way makes up a small part of America. Without the diversity of ideas and beliefs of Americans, the nation would not be nearly as successful as we are. A major similarity between Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self Reliance and J.D Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is a non-conformist ideology that both exhibit, and the idea that one should choose their own individuality above confomity.

    Read More

  • American Antislavery 1820-1860

    1694 Words  | 4 Pages

    The antebellum American antislavery movement began in the 1820s and was sustained over 4 decades by organizations, publications, and small acts of resistance that challenged the legally protected and powerful institution of slavery and the more insidious enemy of black equality, racism. Abolitionists were always a radical minority even in the free states of the North, and the movement was never comprised of a single group of people with unified motivations, goals, and methods. Rather, the movement was fraught with ambiguity over who its leaders would be, how they would go about fighting the institution of slavery, and what the future would be like for black Americans.

    Read More

  • Elements Of Invisibility In The Vanishing American By Charles Beaumont

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    Billions of people populate the earth, and each person is trying to be themselves. Every person has unique qualities that help define who they are. When qualities such as personalities, beliefs, and experiences come together an identity is formed. Without identities a person is not much of anything. The short story “The Vanishing American” by Charles Beaumont uses the element of invisibility to show how valuable an identity is to a person.

    Read More

  • The Abolitionist Movement of Slavery from the Early 19th Century to the American Civil War

    1306 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the dawn of the 19th century, slavery in the United States faced an uncertain future. Many had predicted that Industrial America would eventually eradicate slavery, but the introduction of Eli Whitney’s cotton gin impeded those predictions. This increased the profitability of slavery as each decade passed until the time of the American Civil War. This offended most people of America, especially Northerners. People who are against slavery and are willing to take action and end the practice of slavery are known as abolitionists. These “anti-slaveryites” took huge risks and went through drastic punishments all to end the very nuisance that flawed America, slavery.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Factory in the Early Industrial Revolution

    772 Words  | 2 Pages

    A factory system has four main characteristics; mechanized equipment, workers under one roof, division of labor, and supervision of employees.3 The technological advances of cotton jennies, water frames, and steam power quickly grew too large to fit into households leading to factories replacing the once domestic system.3 Once factories were in place, people in rural areas who were unable to find work took jobs in the factories. The Industrial Revolution in Britain was successful because of the investment of machinery, use of supervision, and improvement of quality control. 4The factory system allowed for materials and goods to be made faster and at a reduced cost. Pre-Industrial Revolution, work hours were erratic and long periods of inactivity were the norm. In the agriculture business, laborers worked in conjunction with the harvest schedule. With factories, a steady production schedule was mandatory to keep...

    Read More

  • How Does Rip Van Winkle Relate To Self Reliance

    693 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Self Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, he promotes the importance of self reliance as an individual, and in society. Individuality to Emerson Opposed the traditional ideas of society, and to him it meant to oppose the conformity and consistency in society. He believes that the majority of people have given up their self reliance because of their fear of judgement by society. To be an individual, Emerson stresses that one has to be a risk taker, and disregard all things external.

    Read More

  • Early Cases in Homicide

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dodd, Mead & Company. (1910). Relativity. In The New International Encyclopedia. (Vol. 10, pp. 173). Cambridge, USA: International Encyclopedia.

    Read More

  • We Wear the Mask

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” is a lyric poem in which the point of attraction, the mask, represents the oppression and sadness held by African Americans in the late 19th century, around the time of slavery. As the poem progresses, Dunbar reveals the façade of the mask, portrayed in the third stanza where the speaker states, “But let the dream be otherwise” (13). The unreal character of the mask has played a significant role in the lives of African Americans, who pretend to put on a smile when they feel sad internally. This occasion, according to Dunbar, is the “debt we pay to human guile," meaning that their sadness is related to them deceiving others. Unlike his other poems, with its prevalent use of black dialect, Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” acts as “an apologia (or justification) for the minstrel quality of some of his dialect poems” (Desmet, Hart, and Miller 466).

    Read More

  • Discrimination at the Workplace

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pi-Yu, T.; Kleiner, B. (2001) Reasonable care of small business to prevent employment discrimination: Equal Opportunities International 20.5-7. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.prx-keiser.lirn.net/docview/199531356/141C90F559D461C1D51/1?accountid=35796

    Read More

  • Self Reliance

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    The essay “Self-Reliance”, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is a persuasive essay promoting the ways of transcendentalism. He uses this paper to advance a major point using a structure that helps his argument. In the paper, Emerson begins his concluding thoughts with a statement that greater self-reliance will bring a revolution. He then applies this idea to society and all of its aspects, including religion, education, and art. This brings Emerson to a new, more precise focus on how society never advance, rather it recedes on one side as fast as it gains on the other. This shocking, yet intriguing, idea is supported and augmented using tone, metaphor, example, and the consequence of ignoring his opinion. The final result is a conglomeration of ideas into the major points that, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” With the major points and devices used by Emerson defined, it is now possible to examine in greater detail how he persuades the reader, starting with the use of tone.

    Read More

  • So Enchanting, Yet so Deadly: The Sirens

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    Homer and Atwood use different tones in order to portray the same group of creatures. Homer uses an alert and tense tone when mentioning the Sirens. The alert tone is first sensed when the crew begins to pass the island: “We were just offshore … when the Sirens sensed at once a ship / was racing past and burst into their high, thrilling song: ‘Come closer, famous Odysseus …’ ” (Homer 11, 12-14). This moment in Odysseus’s voyage is also very tense; the life of his men and his own life is in danger. The Sirens also sound attentive and ready to capture their prey. Instead of sounding tense and alert, Atwood goes with a sad, mysterious tone. The speaker sounds gloomy and forlorn, but there is a strange aura surrounding her:

    Read More

  • The Self: Clifford Geertz, Horace Miner, And Andrei Toom

    1177 Words  | 3 Pages

    Humanity is defined by one major factor: one’s understating of the self. By understanding one’s self, one can understand society and the world that surrounds themselves. There is one thing that can often distort one’s personality, one’s identity. By identifying as one thing a person can often change how they act or do certain things. This is often found to hide one’s true motives or intention, but it can also be used to hide hidden factors that aren’t as prevalent. One’s personality and identity are very closely linked, and tend to play off one another. This fact can be show in within multiple works. To name a few authors who demonstrate this fact: Clifford Geertz, Horace Miner, and Andrei Toom. Their works seek to dive deeper

    Read More

More about Comparing Emerson's Self-Reliance and Dunbar's We Wear the Mask

Open Document