On Self-Reliance Essay

               Ralph Emerson created the essay “On Self-Reliance” to show us how society affects our individualism. His title demonstrates what goes on with ourselves and what we do to rely on ourselves. On self-reliance defines his theme and purpose. His theme/purpose is to let an individual know that doing what society wants you to do is not the way you’re going to grow as a person. You have to avoid what society is wanting you to do and do what you think is right. As a person you have the ability to think and decide for yourself, so why should you use anybody else’s ability on yourself.
              Emerson’s main idea was supported by his tone. His tone is very persuading and you can tell it’s something he really wants us to know and understand. Emerson said, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events." His choice of words reflects to his message and tone of the story. Ralph Emerson uses diction to persuade the people into believing in themselves. Various times in the story he uses allusions. "Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood." All these figures were "leaders" which were great. He is saying that when you're great, you're often misunderstood. People are always willing to comply with society because what they observe of those other individuals and they want to follow them.
                I would use Emerson's idea and apply to my own life. I would apply this to the fact that people are trying to decide what I should study, as I get older. As of right now, I have no idea what I want to be. Recently, I've seen people having fun in there jobs and enjoying it. So I think to myself "maybe if I do that I'll be happy too." People are constantly putting thoughts in my head as to what I should do with my life. Society really affects the way you think and the decisions you make. If someone tell you you can't do something, you won't do it because they said something bad will happen. But what if you did do it and it was the best decision you've ever made and it leads to so many good things. Regret. Society affects you and makes you regret, sometimes. I have to find and know what is right for me. I have to find a 'passion', as cliche as that sounds, and use that to determine MY future for myself. The people around me are not going to determine what I do for the rest of my life. I have to be my own person.