Self-Reliance

1) Discuss the meaning of the verse preceding the essay.
- A man should always speak his mind.
- A man shnies on his own. Inside all of us lies a soul that will or will not produce a perfect person. It is up to us.

2)  Looking at the entire essay, what does Emerson mean by self-reliance? Summarize his main points.
- The need for an individual to avoid conformity and false consistancy and follow his or her instincts and ideas.

3) What does a person realize in some moment in his or her education.
- You can gain an understanding of why and what you area learning.
- Each person's voice can be as important as the great men of history.

4) Interpret the following quote, " the eye was placed where one rey should fall, that it might testify of that particular rey".
- People were sent to do a certain thing and be comfortable about it.
- Where we put our focus is where we win.

5) What does Emerson mean by devine idea that each of us represent.
- Everyone has something to offer.

6) Explain the significance of the iron string, why not silken, golden, or silver string?
- Iron represents strength. Very tough and difficult to break.

7) Define trancendentlism.
- To go up and beyond and rebel in education.

8) Interpret: society everywhere is in conspiracy against the man-hood of everyone of its members.
- The influences of one mans beliefs may effect another mans self-reliance.

9) Explain: the virtue in most request is conformity, self-reliance is its aversion.
- Strong feelings and opinions in what you believe in.

10) Interpret the metaphor, " A foolish consistancy is the hob-goblin of little minds adored by little statesmen and philosophers and devines."
- The more a task is performed the more a person continues to perform that task.

11) Discuss the use of the simile, "words as hard as cannon balls".
- Critizism is hard.

12) Answer Emerson, write your response to the essay.

- Emerson talks about "Self-Reliance". The definition I got out of it was relying on yourself to make the right decisions and not be influenced by others and their self-reliance. At first glance this essay was too confusing to follow but once I read closely I understood Emerson's main points and it all clicked.