Self Reliance Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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One of America’s most influential thinkers and writers, wrote, Self-Reliance. His most influential piece concerning the “American Spirit”, his name, Ralph Emerson. Much of America’s ideals rely on traits and ideas such as individuality. Emerson believes that individuality is one of the most essential traits for men and women. Emerson manifests this exact idea in his writing using imagery, pathos and an appeal to Heaven. Emerson has a way, because of is religious background and upbringing, of painting pictures with his words, especially when concerning Heaven. There is a beautiful piece of imagery, “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” that Emerson creates in his third paragraph. “… that iron string”, Emerson refers to, …show more content…
This was a very popular way of writing in this specific time period. Emerson, speaking of the sentiment of ideas and feelings says,” To believe your own thought, to believe that which is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men…” (Paragraph 1). By this, Emerson means that all men, (and women of course), need to believe something in their private hearts and feelings for them to be an individual, which is divine. Because of his upbringing, referencing divine nature and that God has given man the power of individuality and it should not be wasted is what Emerson stresses and what he believes is vital to salvation. Emerson makes many spiritual references in his writing to appeal to his audience but still represent his own beliefs. In his second paragraph, preaching about representing what God has done for all of us, he basically says that God will not have his work done by cowards and an individual needs to be divine to represent God, but an individual cannot be so by copying another individual. This statement is strengthened by his quote from early in the piece, “Imitation is suicide.” (Paragraph 2). In conclusion, Emerson believes that individuality is divine and it is given to us by God. And to waste that, is “suicide”, or loss of individuality, which, is denying your divine
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