Self-Reliance Group

Question:

dg10
dg10
Student
High School - 11th Grade

According to the second paragraph, cite the line that supports that Emerson believes an individual's importance comes from God.

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Posted by dg10 on Thursday December 11, 2008 at 5:25 PM and tagged with god, importance, individual, paragraph 2, self-reliance.

Answers:


  1. timbrady Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    I think the line that you are looking for is "The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried."  God has created each individual with a power that is "new in nature" and, as Emerson says later in the paragraph, " God will not have his work made manifest by cowards."

    Each individual can do things that no other can, can make contributions that no other individual can, even though we might not even be aware of what these contributions are until we try.  Emerson then develops his ideas about Self-Reliance, the only way we can manifest our unique gifts and not just imitate those around us.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/self-reliance/themes

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    Posted by timbrady on Thursday December 11, 2008 at 5:53 PM