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The American Scholar

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

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The American Scholar

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "The American Scholar" emphasizes the need for American intellectual independence from European influences, advocating for a unique American scholarship rooted in self-reliance...

6 educator answers

The American Scholar

Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that the duties of the American Scholar include self-cultivation, the pursuit of knowledge, and the active application of that knowledge to improve society. He emphasized...

2 educator answers

The American Scholar

The main influences the scholar receives, according to Emerson, are nature and the mind of the past as expressed in books. Nature forces the scholar to settle its value in his mind, and books...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

In production planning, a job card tracks the actual work and time involved in a single production, including materials used and inspection reports, and is used for bookkeeping and payroll. A route...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

According to Emerson, a "scholar" is "Man Thinking," who engages with life through direct observation, nature, and personal experience, using books as inspiration. In contrast, a "bookworm" gains...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

In "The American Scholar," Emerson critiques a "mere thinker" for relying solely on book learning without original thought. He argues that scholars should combine reading with nature study and active...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

Emerson's quote on the dual nature of books highlights their potential for both enlightenment and misinterpretation. Emerson, Melville, and Douglass illustrate this concept. Emerson's "Concord Hymn"...

3 educator answers

The American Scholar

In his speech at Harvard, Ralph Waldo Emerson relays his ideas about transcendentalism. Transcendentalism promotes a strong bond with the natural world. That’s why Emerson praises Emanuel Swedenborg...

4 educator answers

The American Scholar

When Emerson writes that "the one thing in the world of value is the active soul," he means that an individual who relies on his own inner voice and consults his experience rather than books alone...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

Emerson's "The American Scholar" advocates for scholars to learn directly from nature and history, emphasizing moral and intellectual development through direct experience over reliance on books. He...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

Emerson's concept of self-trust in "The American Scholar" emphasizes the importance of individual intuition and confidence. He argues that scholars should rely on their inner voice and personal...

3 educator answers

The American Scholar

Emerson's "The American Scholar" advocates for nonconformity, self-reliance, and anti-institutionalism by urging scholars to break from traditional English academic styles and foster a distinct...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

A "good scholar," according to Ralph Waldo Emerson, is "Man Thinking," who critically evaluates and discerns fact from speculation rather than simply parroting others' ideas. The responsibilities of...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

Emerson points to and praises the vitality of the Romantic movement, which was in full bloom when he gave his speech "The American Scholar." He exalts that movement's emphasis on ordinary life and...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

In "The American Scholar," Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasizes that the most vital trait for a scholar is belief in self, or self-trust. Emerson argues that self-trust enables scholars to develop original...

1 educator answer

The American Scholar

In both "Self-Reliance" and "The American Scholar," Emerson argues strongly that young college graduates must rely on their consciences to find their path through life. Nature, which is always in...

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The American Scholar

While Emerson does not state this explicitly, scholars believe that the "analogous political movement" he alludes to in "The American Scholar" is the Republican party. Both the Republican party and...

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