[paper/課程論文/論文] 美國文學/ Emerson and Thoreau

Emerson and Thoreau’s ideas of self-reliance are related to the value of democracy, equality, and freedom of expression with the following discussion. 

 

In Self-Reliance, written in 1841, Emerson has confirmed that a man must be a “non-conformist” (598) who would stand up and “speak the rude truth.” However, Emerson is not naïve about the decisions and has also noticed about the cost because “the world whips you with its displeasure.” He even listed some of the most important historical figures who are now seen as “great” (601) but was “misunderstood” to have us readers understand the honor, the responsibility, and the hardship to be a non-conformist.   
 
In this essay, Emerson does not only implicitly revive and remind the American readers of the tradition that this nation’s autonomy started from a non-conform against England, but also raises the “American spirit” we know nowadays. “American spirit” is not only about working hard for one’s dream, but also with the value of democracy for people to protest against injustice with their freedom of expression, as he glorifies a life that is “genuine and equal” (599) but could be “unsteady”. With such spirit, Emerson has proudly announced that he is self-reliant enough to live a life “for itself” (599). 
 
As we can tell from Emerson’s writing, he has imagined a democratic society with heteroglossia when different voices and lives are equal. However, Emerson doesn’t really give a thorough plan to embody what he imagines in Self-Reliance.
 
 In 1849 and 1854, Thoreau has supported Emerson’s philosophy with Resistance to Civil Government and Walden. The latter even records his living plan corresponding to the ideas by Emerson. In Resistance to Civil Government, Thoreau has pinpointed the importance of people by “men first, and subjects afterward” (904). He values man’s conscious, one’s common sense, and justice as “higher and independent power” (918), and frowns upon the idea that law is prioritized. The thinking, again, caters to Emerson’s idea of a non-conformist as we have discussed before. 
 

In Walden, he makes his choice to live alone by the late. He embodies the spirt of non-conformist with his choice and detailed plan on a new “mode of living,” (923) both politically but economically. From the two pieces, we can tell that Thoreau goes to the next level. He does not only embody the idea of self-reliance proposed by Emerson, but also directly appeal people’s freedom of expression to build a democratic society.