Emerson Thoreau etc question answers

Emerson's most popular poem

Concord Hymn

Spring

creates a metaphor with nature and his spiritual reawakening

(TheRhodora) The poet finds the rhodora hidden away in the woods, as if "To please the desert and the sluggish brook." How do these facts relate to the questions that prefaces the poem?

everything has beauty in it

(Nature) Where does the power to produce nature's delight come from? In describing a harmony between human beings and nature, do you think Emerson means the relationships is always serene?

nature is not always happy and celebrating. nature will respond to what ever you happen to be feeling.

Brute Neighbors

talks about what nature has to tell us about human wars

(TheRhodora) What does "whence" mean?

where

imagery

word pictures that appeal to the senses

(Brahma) Find lines that illustrate approximate or slant rhymes.

"The strong gods pine for my abode, ..... But thou, meek lover of the good! ......"

(TheRhodora) This poem is about beauty and virtue. Where, according to the poem, does beauty come from?

God

description

a detailed portrayal of something in words

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) Explain Thoreau's implication when he says "Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity."

live with only what you absolutely have to have

(Self-Reliance) What would Emerson say is each person's reason for living?

to influence society

(Self-Reliance) In the first paragraph, Emerson says "The sentiment they(verses) instill is of more value than any thought they may contain." Explain this line.

your attitude towards a thought is more important to the thought itself

(Nature) What is the "NOT ME"?

"all which Philosophy distinguishes as the NOT ME, that is, both nature and art" - the NOT ME is everything else that is not man, so it is nature and art

two transcendentalist

Ralph Waldo Emerson (the thinker) and Henry David Thoreau (the doer behind all the thinking)

What three areas of reform were prominent in this period ?

education, women's rights, slavery

Utopian community

perfect society

(Brahma) In the final stanza, the paradox is that those who seek Brahma directly do so "in vain." How is it that the "meek lover of the good" is able to find Brahma in this world?

you cannot find Brahma itself but you can find good that is Brahma

(Nature) What, according to Emerson, is science's one aim?

"All science has one aim, namely, to find a theory of nature" - all of this science and technology is to explain nature

(Nature) What does Emerson say about the owning the landscape?

"But none of them owns the landscape" - people own different lands but you can't truly own God's creation because the universe is there for everyone

(Brahma) Find lines that illustrate perfect or exact rhyme

"Far or forgot to me is near; Shadow and sunlight are the same; The vanished gods to me appear; And one to me are shame and fame. "

(Nature) nature On page 13, Emerson says that "we have no questions to ask which are unanswerable." Where can we find these answers?

"Undoubtedly we have no questions to ask which are unanswerable" - everything can be answered - you find the answers in nature

When does Emerson become a "transparent eyeball"? What are the characteristics of this experience? In what ways does this description reflect the Transcendentalist belief in an Over-Soul?

"the greatest delight which the fields and woods minister, is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable" - vegetable means all of nature - God connects us to nature

(Nature) In the first paragraph of Chapter 1, what is Emerson's point about solitude?

"to go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society"..."but if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars" - if you want to experience true solitude, go out into nature with nothing but you and God's beauty - there you will experience solitude

(Nature) Under what circumstances, according to Emerson, does "mean egotism" vanish?

- he says, when standing in nature "all mean egotism vanishes" - this means when you are standing on God's creation and beauty, you cannot think of yourself as the center of the earth - "I become a transparent eyeball" - this means he can understand his role and his relationship to God and nature - when he goes into nature, he is reminded of him place in the universe and how he shares a soul with God and nature

(BruteNeighbors) What particular words or incidents seem most clearly to indicate that tone?

Achilles greek mythology battles

(I Never Saw a Moor) The editors' substitution of the word chart (meaning "map) for Dickinson's word Checks changes the poet's meaning. Dickinson is writing not just of having a map of heaven, but of having the same assurance of her destination that railway passengers have after the conductor has given them their checks. Examine the two versions of the poem. What emphasis is gained in the original by the use of the dash and by the unusual capitalization of words? What is the effect of substituting wave for Billow?

Emily was writing about having a ticket to heaven... editors changed it to her writing around having a map to heaven. she didn't need a map, she already had a ticket they also changed the word billow to wave to be more understandable

(TheRhodora) why would God plant a plant way up high where nobody can see it ?

God planted the plant in that place to bloom where it was planting. Just like God puts us in certain places and we should grow. you can be successful and great wherever you are

two examples of the "spectacular" growth that characterized the thirty years preceding the Civil War

Northwestern and Southwestern expansion

Who were the two writers chiefly responsible for developing transcendental ideas ?

Ralph Emerson was the thinker Thoreau was the doer

Was the population in America growing or diminishing ? By how much ?

The nation's population, which had doubled between 1790 and 1830, doubled again before 1870

(Self-Reliance) What makes a man "relieved and gay"?

a man who's heart is into it his work and he does his best

(Concord Hymn) What appeal is made in the poem's last stanza?

an example of apostrophe where he is speaking to Spirit, asking it to be kind to the monument

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) The next paragraph on page 27 asserts that "we live meanly, like ants." What explanation does Thoreau give for this way of life? Why does he place so much emphasis on simplicity?

ants are always working; he says we live like that; we are following the crowd and doing what society expects us to do

(TheRhodora) Explain the use of apostrophe in this poem.

author or poet addresses an entity that is not present "addressing the rhodora"

(Concord Hymn) Why is the term "hymn" a suitable word to describe this poem?

because it was intended to be sung; it was written in hymn stanza

Unitarian church in 19th century

believed in doing good works for the common man

In what way was transcendentalism similar to Puritanism ? In what way was it different ?

both groups believed that individuals can experience God personally - (without priests and allot other stuff) puritans - believed that was available to a group of chosen or elect transcendentalism - believed it was available to all

(BruteNeighbors) In this famous instance of Thoreau's close observation of nature, how does he make the war between armies of ants seem significant?

by the language he uses; he describes it in terms of Greek battle fields; he makes it seem like he is talking about a human war when it is really an ant war

metaphor

comparison between two or more unlike things with or without the use of the word like or as

(TheAmericanScholar) In the second paragraph, what, according to Emerson, is vital?

confidence and self-trust is vital. the great man has to be able to trust is own intellect.

America was propelled by what two forces ?

dissatisfaction (about technology because it is putting people out of work and slavery) about the present and optimism about the future

(Conclusion) The example in the third paragraph of the man who "hears a different drummer" is one of the most quoted passages from Walden. How does this passage support the earlier criticism of the conformity?

everybody should march to their own beat; we should not conform just because everyone else is hearing that beat

(Spring) Introduced in the second paragraph is the idea that spring is" a memorable crisis," in part because it is at once gradual and sudden. What changes in nature mark that mysterious point at which winter turns into spring?

everything is coming back together now that spring is coming back; he is coming winter to spring; the transition from winter to spring is a memorable crisis

(TheAmericanScholar) "I believe man has been wronged, he has wronged himself"

he doesn't have faith in his own mind. he has become willing to just go along with what society is dictating to him and has lost the ability to think for himself.

(Self-Reliance) How important is Emerson's use of the adjective "foolish" in his discussion of consistency?

he is calling consistency foolish because repeating the same thing over in over is foolish; it is the "hobgoblin of little minds" - consistency is what causes little minds to happen

(Sounds) Thoreau's own inner state on those days was expressed by a silent smile or an occasional chuckle. How are these expressions of himself related to the sounds he hears from nature?

he is expressing joy

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) Thoreau's method as a writer is often to move from the small fact to the larger truth. In the first sentence, he tells the reader that his unfinished house allowed the air to blow through. How does this simple fact become important in the discussion of "winds" in the last part of the paragraph?

he is not doing anything but becoming a part of nature

(BruteNeighbors) At the end Thoreau observes that he "never learned which party was victorious, nor the cause of the war . . . ." How is this statement also a comment on human warfare?

he is saying human wars make no more sense than this war between the ants

(TheRhodora) The questions of why the flower is hidden, its "charm . . .wasted on the earth and sky," seems to be put aside by the poet's saying, "I never thought to ask, I never knew." Still, there is an answer in the poem. In what way is the poet's "simple ignorance" really a profound wisdom?

he never thought about it before and his simple ignorance makes the profound truth so much more meaningful. it is very clear what the truth is with the plant. there is a way to prosper and flourish wherever you find yourself

(Nature) The first selection from Nature (page13), builds toward the "new" - "new lands, new men, new thoughts." How does Emerson characterize the "old," the past?

he says "why should we grope among the dry bones of the past" means it's old..."faded wardrobe" means out of date...

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) What does Thoreau about mornings?

he says morning is when he is awake and when there is a dawn in him; this really means everyday is new, he washes off the old and is ready to accept the new

(TheAmericanScholar) In the first line of the selection, what is Emerson saying about change?

he uses a metaphor of plastic and fluid to describe the word because the world is forever changing.

(BruteNeighbors) Concord, site of one of the first battles of the American Revolution, was justly proud of its place in history. What is Thoreau's purpose in comparing the war of the ants to the "Concord Fight" of the past? What is the tone of his references to the Spartans and the heroes of the Trojan War and to Napoleon's campaigns?

he wanted to compare the battle to the Concord battle because it would dramatize the war, and people were reading about the Concord battle at this time

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) On page 27, the theme of the second paragraph is the effort to "live deliberately" in order to "live deep." In what way did living in the woods enable Thoreau to improve the quality of his life?

he was able to connect with nature because there were no distractions

(Sounds) This passage celebrates idleness but not merely as laziness or shirking of work. The state of "revery" which on those sunny mornings allows Thoreau to forget "the lapse of time" has its own purpose in his life. Why does he feel that these hours "were not time subtracted from my life, but so much over and above my usual allowance"?

he was connected to nature; he didn't have any distractions. from the outside it looks like he's just being lazy but it's actually the most beneficial time of his life

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) Thoreau is very clear about his undertaking in the woods. Why does he say he performed this experiment?

he went to reconnect with himself and live "deliberately"; to remove all of the distractions of society and focus on what nature has to teach him

(ThePondinWinter) At the end of the second paragraph, Thoreau says, "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." What details in the paragraph support this statement?

heaven can be under our feet and out in nature, just as it can be over our heads

(Self-Reliance) Why is "imitation" . . . "suicide"?

if you are doing what everyone else is doing, it's suicidal; think for yourself and coming up with your own conclusions

(Brahma) The second and third stanzas present a series of paradoxes we can understand only by remembering that, in Brahma, all opposites are united. In the light of this, explain the paradox in line 11 that says: "I am the doubter and the doubt."

in Brahma there can be no doubt because all things are faith

Define transcendentalism.

intuition; we can transcend or go beyond what we learn from our senses; asserts that knowledge of fundamental reality is beyond the reach of a person's limited senses and is derived through intuition

(BruteNeighbors) How would you describe the overall tone in this passage?

ironic

(Spring) The concluding sentence compares the coming of spring to "the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age." What sense impressions, especially sound and sight, prepare for this statement?

it is an illusion to Greek mythology; God created order out of chaos in the beginning; according to Thoreau, this is happening within himself too

In what way is intuition central to transcendental belief ?

it is the foundation of transcendental belief - without intuition, the theory doesn't work

(BruteNeighbors) Why is it important that the description shifts from the general field of battle to the three ants he separates from the others and watches through a magnifying glass?

it makes it more personal to the reader

(Concord Hymn) What is meant by "the shot heard round the world"?

it's a metaphor indicating the impact the Revolutionary war had on the world

(Nature) Although the poem is about death, it does not present death as terrifying. According to the poem, how is the pain of death softened by Nature?

mom holding the hand; the mother is loving and kind and gentle - nature is the same way with us

(Nature) What does Emerson mean when he says that "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit"?

nature always wears the color of your spirit. if you are happy, nature will celebrate with you. if you are sad, nature will be sad with you

(ThePondinWinter) Thoreau says he "awoke to an answered question, to Nature and daylight." What makes him see that nature transcends all questions and doubts about existence?

nature has the answers to all of man's questions

(Brahma) Emerson approaches the problems of pain and death through paradox, a statement that is self-contradictory yet true. In "Brahma" the basic paradox is that all time is present and all "far" is "near." The distinctions that human beings make between time and space, and even life and death, disappear in the higher, and (to us) paradoxical, reality of the Brahma. The opening stanza deals with death, but from Brahma's perspective, not ours. In what sense can death be an illusion?

nothing ever really dies. it may change form or shape but it doesn't die

(Nature) Our occupations in this world are spoken of as "playthings." In what sense do they become "broken"?

nothing is perfect, work can be broken, relationships can be broken, but there is still comfort is being familiar

(Self-Reliance) Explain the metaphor of the "nourishing corn."

nourishing corn = thought ... it will become something useful if you take care of it and nourish it.

(Conclusion) In his conclusion Thoreau again applies the lessons of his experiment to broader experiences. In the first paragraph, what general lesson about conformity is to be drawn from the path he wore between his house and the pond?

people said if this experience was so beneficial then why did you leave ? he addressed this question in the Conclusion; he is saying that it is so easy to fall into habits and conformity; he says habits are the worst things we can do

What development was chiefly responsible for feelings of optimism about the future ?

science and technology developments

(Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church) The second stanza states that "some" (the ministers) wear special robes for church, but the poet just wears her "Wings." What does Wings stand for? What do you think Dickinson means by the final two lines of the poem?

she can find God's work outside in her backyard when she puts her wings on...like an angel

(I Never Saw a Moor) The first stanza deals with something that is "known" without having been seen - as we might "know" what a desert or a jungle looks like from pictures or descriptions. In what way is the knowledge presented in the second stanza different from that of the first stanza?

she could not see heaven, but she knew it was there.. she has great faith

(Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church) The first two lines establish the situation of the poem: while others "keep the Sabbath" in the traditional way by "going to Church," the poet does so by "staying at Home." In lines 3-4, what aspects of a church are transferred to nature?

she doesn't have a choir... but she has a bird to sing to her. she doesn't have a church but she has an orchard to worship in

In what way were workers adversely affected by the new technology ?

skilled workers were being put out of work and working conditions were not favorable

(TheRhodora) What does the poet have to say about virtue?

the flower's beauty can't be seen, but that is okay because it has other purposes. it is not trying to show off its beauty

(TheAmericanScholar) In the line "The great man makes the great thing," what is Emerson saying about the function of the scholar?

the great man is going to have to change with the changing heart

What two technological developments helped to bridge vast distances of the expanding nation ?

the growing railroad system and the telegraph

(Self-Reliance) We discussed the literary term "Synecdoche." Explain Emerson's use of synecdoche in the passage: "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." How does this use of synecdoche help to clarify Emerson's point about belief in oneself?

the heart is apart of the person; every heart vibrates to that iron string; because of the heart we have life, with the life we have thoughts, and with the thoughts we need to apply them so we can flourish

3 characteristics of transcendentalism

the human spirit can intuitively comprehend the fundamental truths of the universe - the human spirit is reflected in nature - all forms of being are spiritually united in a universal soul or over-soul

(BruteNeighbors) Present for the first time at a "war" or a "battle" of any kind, Thoreau declares that "I was myself excited somewhat even as if they had been men." How does he convene this excitement to his reader?

the language and details he uses; makes it seem like he is talking about a human battle

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) Explain the metaphor in the statement, "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in."

the most important thing we have is time

(Nature) This poem is based on an analogy,that is, a comparison between things that are in some respects similar. To what is the process of dying compared? In what sense is a person of any age like a "little child" in leaving life behind?

the process of dying compared to being led up to bed by a loving mother - we are reluctant to go because we don't know what's on the other side; some parts of our life are broken like the toys but, it's more familiar

(Nature) In Nature, Emerson argues that habit and tradition have become a way of living secondhand, by the truths and ideas of other times, and barrier against the soul's insights. What is the theme of the first paragraph on page 13?

the theme - we need to set aside what we have always believed before and be open minded to something new

synecdoche

the use of one part of something to stand for the whole

Why is this literary period sometimes called the American Renaissance ?

there was an explosion of really good literature

Why were Lowell, Longfellow, and Holmes known as "Brahmins"?

these new England poets are saying they are the highest level of intellectuals in England - humorous

(Self-Reliance) According to Emerson, what do Pythagoras, Socrates, Jesus, Luther, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton have in common?

they're all misunderstood

(Conclusion) In some respects the final sentences of "Conclusion" sum up all of Walden. Thoreau reminds us that finding our "perfect summer life," as did the beautiful bug, is not merely a matter of waiting. According to Thoreau, in what way may any of us prepare to experience spiritual awakening?

this conclusion is designed to remind us why he wen there; he went for a spiritual reawakening to reconnect with nature and says it is available for all of us

(Conclusion) The powerful fifth paragraph centers upon the rebirth that is possible once we have opened ourselves to nature and to our true inner being. Within this context, what is the "moral" of the story of the beautiful bug that hatched after being buried many years in an old wooden table?

this is a metaphor of resurrection; he says all of us can enjoy a spiritual resurrection if we isolate ourselves and follow our instincts in nature

(ThePondinWinter) The final paragraph focuses upon the fishermen who came to Walden Pond from the town In what way are the fishermen "as wise in natural lore as the citizen is in artificial"? What evidence proves that these "wild men" have penetrated more deeply into nature than the trained naturalist?

this is about the circle of life and the circle of nature

(Sounds) The single word for time in the language of the Puri Indians is contrasted to the hours that are "fretted by the ticking of the clock." Why should this discussion of time lead immediately to Thoreau's fellow townsmen in Concord and their criticism of his "idleness"?

time is important, don't spend it alone

"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist"?

to be a great man, you must not conform to society but believe in what you conform in

(Self-Reliance) What does Emerson say constitutes "genius"?

to believe your own thought is true for everyone else

In what way were Hawthorne and Melville anti-transcendentalists

transcendentalists believe the idea that God, Man, and Nature all share a common soul = the "over-soul" -- they are anti-transcendentalists because they ask "where does evil come in then?"

(WhereILivedandWhatILivedFor) What paradox is expressed in the sentence, "We do not ride upon the railroad; it rides upon us"?

we think all the new technology is making our lives easier and better but it's actually a burden

(Spring) This selection gives a sense of the awakening and rebirth that accompanies spring. Beginning with the ribbon of water along the shore, the first paragraph develops an impression of movement until the "living surface" of the pond seems itself "all one active fish." What images create this impression?

when he looks down into the water, he sees a school of fish swimming. it seems as if the surface of the water is actually moving