Little 1 Becky Little Mrs.

Delguercio English II/1 18 December 2013 Transcendental Elements in Self-Reliance Transcendentalism, lasting from the 1830s to 1840s, is the set of ideas that support being spiritual by focusing on the self. The main beliefs are used to discover the personal ideas and virtues of a person through spiritual commitment despite what the rest of society thinks or feels. It is a journey of self-improvement and experimentation with going against the norm. These values are meant to create ones own path of individualism and spirituality through connecting with nature. The Father of Transcendentalism, Ralph Waldo Emerson, portrays several of these key beliefs throughout his various works. Transcendentalism is clearly represented in Emersons Self-Reliance because of the connections to individualism, the senses, and nature. Emerson uses individualism in Self-Reliance to express the importance of making decisions based on an entitys own desire, rather than blindly conforming along with the rest of society. There is a time in every mans education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide (Emerson 1). It is each persons responsibility to make decisions from personal experiences rather than automatically believing what is told. It is possible and acceptable to have the same principles as the majority of the population, as long as that decision came from ones own understanding of the issue. Moreover, finding and believing in a religion or other sort of spiritual system that suits an individuals needs is critical to uncover certain truths because spirituality exceeds all other sources of knowledge and information. Trust

Little 2 thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string (1). The quest to establish personal knowledge is greater than any societal constraint; making it imperative to trust the self. A Transcendentalist must apply these ideas to fulfill certain goals. Emerson stresses that individualism contributes to the idea that ignorantly conforming to pre-established ideas will not better the self in any way. Likewise, Self-Reliance also reflects the significance of the human senses. We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents (1). Emerson does not believe that humans can completely express themselves due to inability of the senses to detect everything. It was also believed that unlike to the senses, the mind is extremely powerful. To be great is to be misunderstood (1). Although the human senses are limited, it takes intense self-reflection and meditation within the mind to discover deeper truths. This process requires a spiritually sound person to become a great influence on the world. Emerson wants people to realize that the senses are not available when in a physical state; they can only be grasped spiritually. Lastly, Self-Reliance incorporates nature and its interaction with humans. That though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on the plot of ground which is given him to till (1). People depend on nature but must work with it to get the desired product. Nature is connected to the self and the universe and will not yield a product unless it has been rightfully earned. Focusing all efforts towards connecting with nature, a person must first give in order to receive. 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 (1). No one will be able to truly understand the full power of nature if they do not put forth the effort. Emerson is revealing that the way humans interact with nature will determine the way nature responds.

Little 3 It is palpable that Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson illuminates several main points of Transcendentalism. At the time, it was an extremely radical thought to question society and form individual ideas and beliefs. Transcendentalism is clearly portrayed in Self-Reliance through the ideas of individualism, the senses, and nature.

Little 4 Works Cited Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Self-Reliance. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Bayn. New York: Norton. 1. Print.