The American Soul

12.1.8 Self-Reliance/American Soul

Tasha Pratt

The American Soul has a variety of meanings. The text “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson shows some characteristics of the American Soul. There are some traits that “Self-Reliance” doesn’t exhibit. The characteristics that are not shown are greed, egotistical, and being unappreciative. “Self-Reliance” doesn’t reflect these traits of the American Soul. One characteristic that doesn’t come through the text is greed. Emerson states, “And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny” (Emerson 210). This quote definitely doesn’t reflect greed. It explains that a person must accept their destiny no matter the outcome. Another way the greed trait is not displayed is in the following quote. The author states, “…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” (Emerson 209). This quote reflects that a person must wait for what is coming to him or herself. In another part in the text, the greed trait doesn’t come through. In “Self-Reliance”, Emerson states, “The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs” (Emerson 210). Obviously, this quote doesn’t reflect greed because it describes that a person should not try to fit in with everyone else just to be accepted, a person must accept who they are and be who they are. Another characteristic that doesn’t come through in the text is unappreciative. The author states, “Accept the place the divine Providence has found for you…” (Emerson 210). This quote definitely shows that a person must appreciate the position in life he or she is given because it was the life chosen for him or her. The idea of being unappreciative is also not found throughout the text. “Emerson states, “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind” (Emerson 210). This quote doesn’t reflect being unappreciative because it says that the integrity of your mind is something sacred and it must be appreciated. At another point in the text the unappreciative trait is not exhibited. Emerson states, “Great men have always done so and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age” (Emerson 210). This quote doesn’t reflect the unappreciative trait. This quote does reflect that men confide their genius to themselves and don’t share it with the world. Emerson is saying that one must appreciate the genius that they have within. The last quote that doesn’t come through in the “Self-Reliance” text is egotistical. Emerson states, “Absolve you to yourself, and you shall have the suffrage of the world…” (Emerson 210). This quote reflects that when a person absolves themselves they will become closer to the world around them. At another point in the text the egotistical trait is not exhibited. Emerson states, “Society is a joint-stock company in which the members agree for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder…” (Emerson 210). This quote definitely does not describe egotism because it talks about society and how it involves others and that each member should try to protect the well being of another member. Finally, the egotistical trait is not found in the following quote. The author states, “There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance” (Emerson 209). This quote reflects that a person must

realize that everything is not always about them. As previously stated the American Soul has a variety of meanings. The text “SelfReliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson displays many characteristics of the American Soul. However the text does not exhibit some particular traits of the American Soul. The traits that are not exhibited are greed, being unappreciative, and egotistical. American literature does not accurately describe the American Soul.