Rhetorical Analysis

Transcendentalism emerged as a philosophical movement in America in the early 19th century. characterized by an emphasis on individualism, self-reliance, and a deep connection with nature. William Bryant, Ralph Emerson, and Henry Thoreau all use rhetoric in their work to convey their beliefs. Bryant’s “Thanatopsis,” Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” and Thoreau’s Walden all underscore the overall beliefs of Transcendentalism.

William Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” serves as a seminal work in American literature, embodying Transcendentalist themes through its depiction of death as a natural part of life. Bryant employs rhetorical devices such as metaphor and an appeal to pathos and logos to convey his overall argument. For instance, when Bryant explains death, …show more content…
Emerson employs rhetoric to persuade his readers to trust their inner voice. When explaining how we should stay within ourselves rather than listening to the ideas of others, Emerson writes, “that he must take himself for better for worse as his portion”. Through this appeal to ethos, Emerson really emphasizes the importance of accepting ourselves, whether for better or worse. Emerson emphasizes how we should remain ourselves, even if we don’t like the situation we are facing in life. Later on, when Emerson talks about the importance of work to gain success, he writes, “No kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till”. Through this metaphor, Emerson emphasizes that without hard work, the seed will not grow to its full potential, like an ear of corn. This metaphor conveys the idea that we cannot become our best selves without putting in hard work. Emerson wants us to rely on our own work to gain …show more content…
Thoreau employs rhetorical strategies such as analogy, allusion, and comparison to convey his beliefs. When explaining the game of checkers he plays against the loon, he writes, “Suddenly your adversary’s checker disappears beneath the board, and the problem is to place yours nearest to where he will appear again." Through the analogy, Thoreau compares his chasing the loon to a game of checkers. Henry uses this analogy to shed light on how easy it is for the loon to disappear and reappear again in a location a great distance from where he disappeared. The analogy creates the idea that the loon thinks differently and more complexly than Thoreau does due to the loon’s cunning ways and ultimately winning the game of ‘checkers’. Thoreau develops the belief that if we enjoy nature the way the loon does, we can become as smart and happy as the loon. Later, when explaining the war between the red and black ants, Thoreau uses an allusion to convey his argument. When explaining what he sees, he states, “And certainly there is not the fight recorded in Concord history, at least, if in the history of America, that will bear a moment's comparison with this, numbers and for carnage it was an Austerlitz or Dresden.” Through this allusion, Thoreau alludes to the battle between the ants that he is witnessing at the Battle of

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