Emerson's third maxim "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind" expresses the theme, or universal truth about human beings, that people have incredible minds and imaginations, yet they must learn to think for themselves.The maxim states that people tend to be dependent and focus on what others may be thinking, but Emerson wants people to understand that nothing is important as the strength and morality of their own individual thoughts. This theme is seen throughout Lawrence and Lee's play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail." The first instance where this theme is portrayed is where Henry and Edward go huckleberry-hunting. The scene shows the readers how much fun Henry and Edward are having even though they are hunting for …show more content…
As a response, Edward runs around and "spots" patches of huckleberries and starts "picking" them. This scene heavily displays the theme of Emerson's third maxim. Henry and Edward use their abilities of imagination to create a game of huckleberry-hunting. Through this way of thinking, one can be able to let go of materialistic objects and just use their imagination. This also applies to Anne Bradstreet's poem "Upon the Burning of Our House" where she loses her materialistic objects in a fire and thanks the Lord for taking it from her. This theme is also shown where Henry and Waldo are having an argument about voting. Waldo says that he has cast his vote but Henry angrily replies, "Cast your whole vote. Not just a strip of paper! Your whole influence!" (Lawrence and Lee 84). Henry mocks Waldo for saying, "Go along" as in going along with the crowd. This scene may tie in with maxim number eight which states that one should not imitate others, but the argument shows that Henry wants Waldo to act based on his own thoughts instead of just going along with the crowd. The maxim stresses individualism and suggests that people need to act based on their own thoughts and not the thoughts and opinions of others. A
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
-The man vs. man conflict is brought up many times throughout this story. The first that is posed is the conflict between Huckleberry and Pap. Pap is Huckleberry’s abusive biological father, and an alcoholic to boot. He first comes in and tries to steal his son’s fortune, just so he can get drunk. Huckleberry is kidnapped by his father for a short time, and during this is beaten many times. Huckleberry eventually escapes as he saws his way out of a shed with an old saw he finds. He then kills a pig to fake his own death and smears blood all over the shed so the story is more believable.
Henry excites fear by stating he is passionately ready to sacrifice for his country. This play towards pathos, or appealing to the audience’s emotions, is an effective way of trying to convince the House to go to war against Britain. This pathos, combined with the logic of Henry’s speech, makes for a convincing argument. Logically taking the House step by step from stating that because he has an outlook on their situation, he should express it to them, to stating his argument before the House, to saying that lacking freedom is worse than death, then taking it full circle pronouncing he would prefer to be “give[n] death” then to have his freedom taken away by the British.
“What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think.” (Emerson, 552) demonstrates that Emerson wants individuals to discover their true self that have unique way of thinking and should have a strong sense of self; The strong sense of self is also presented by “A great man is coming to eat at my house. I do not wish to please him: I wish that he should wish to please me.” (Emerson, 555) while stating that nobody’s ideas should be less valued. Through “The one thing in the world of value, is, the active soul, --the soul, free, sovereign, active.” (Emerson, 539) he shows his preference of resisting influences thinkers in past brings because he believes individuals nowadays can come up with better ideas and reading old ones will hold creativity back. In case that Emerson sticks with the stand that everybody can look into themselves carefully and bring up brand new and great thoughts to contribute to the world, he has no compassion toward poor people. If each individual has ability to be self-reliant, and then the only reason why poor people are poor is that they do not even try to manage their destiny. Therefore, unlike Franklin, Emerson questions “Are they my poor?” (Emerson, 552) to blame poor people.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The American Scholar ; Self-reliance ; Compensation. N.p.: American Book, 1893. Print.
To Doris, Henry infers Mr. Hairston as a weak person. The quote applies to Mr. Hairston, by explaining that his grumpy
it is his." In this quote Emerson is elaborating on the idea that we must all exude
... theme of protagonist and antagonist truly being one and the same rather than seperate, despite surface observations.
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.
Nearly two hundred years ago Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered a speech to a group of Scholars, it was his intention to motivate and inspire. He expressed his beliefs in a way that was objectionable to some and encouraging to others. Each man was given a chance to examine his life and the life's of their predecessors.
5. This quote has to do with Henry’s life. He says that there is so
and personal belief. Emerson believed that it's better for an ordinary person to live a moral and honest life
...“Jack. It isn’t Ernest; it’s Jack”. This only serves to add more irony as it reveals that the main object of desire in the play is in fact a lie. We therefore see Wilde’s contempt for hypocritical morality coming out in a sharp satire of the deep flaws in the foundations of the upper class.
against the rules. At first Henry objects, but when the soldier asks him “You wouldn’t
Sergeant Major Morris told Mr. White. (fate vs. free will) type of theme stated in this quote because we observe that “The Monkey Paws” is full with questions about the power of people in their lives.