Emerson's Self Reliance

The maxim, "Nothing is at last sacred, but the integrity of your own mind," found in Emerson's essay on
Self Reliance relates to the truth in which one believes in. Emerson pleads with one to follow what one's
own belief is, though there are many scholars and religions for one to follow, it is one's own integrity of
mind, what one finds to be correct which is the truth. Emerson suggests that it is easy for a man to
follow the advice and suggestions of another, thus making him a conformist. By implying this, Emerson
asks one to follow his own convictions and thoughts rather than those of others because these are
what we hold to be true and therefore are what we regard to be "sacred." Although Emerson was the
writer, it was Thoreau who went out

and applied Emerson's writing in real life. Applications of this one
of Emerson's maxims can be seen throughout the play, "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail."
In the play, "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, Thoreau speaks
about being arrested and the integrity of one's mind. Henry talks to Sam Staples, the constable, telling
Sam that he should "arrest him." Henry goes on to explain that if there was only "one honest man in
this state of Massachusetts" who had the "conviction and courage" to go against the state and advocate
what he truly believes, then this "honest man" would let himself be "locked up in the County Jail." Henry
also believes that this would be the "start of more true freedom" (61). Emerson, in his maxim, implies
that an honest man would be one who follows the convictions of his own mind because he would
regard these as "sacred." This would be the start of a more true freedom because in following one's
own integrity, one would be a nonconformist and free from the grasp of society's conspiracies.
In another instance in the play, Henry, in jail, has a flashback to a time when he was a teacher. During
his final days as a teacher Henry argues with Deacon Ball on the punishment of his students.

Upon
being disrespected by Henry's students, Deacon Ball demands that Henry "flog" his students "for
showing irreverence to authority." Upon hearing this, Henry states that he does "not believe in corporal
punishment," but out of fear for losing his job he flogs his students. His actions weigh down on his
conscience because they have gone against the integrity of his mind, ultimately leading him to resign
his position as a teacher (21-23). Emerson's maxim implies that although one's actions may go against
one's convictions, it is the integrity of one's mind that causes guilt and this guilt will remain until the
action is atoned for. Thus in the end it is the integrity of one's own mind which is sacred.
Emerson wrote an essay on Self Reliance, and it is from this essay that the maxim, "nothing is at last
sacred but the integrity of your own mind" derives from. This maxim implies that Emerson is asking
one to follow his own beliefs and convictions. In the play, Thoreau applies this, and once he goes
against the integrity of his own mind, he is consumed with guilt. This shows that though one may do
otherwise, the integrity of his own mind is what is at last

sacred.