The idea of self-reliance is an American idea. Self-reliance is a way of life when one is reliant on one ” sown capabilities, judgment, and resources. When someone is self-reliant they are completely Independent. Many American authors have used examples of this idea, self-reliance, in a lot of their writing. For example, in a Progress to the Mines by Byrd examples of self-reliance are present.
In the beginning of the story Byrd writes about a character who ‘O… rode eight miles together over a stony road,’ O in order to get to a house. This shows self-reliance because riding eight miles, all by himself, is a hard task to accomplish. Especially back then when the story took place because there weren’tvery many people around to help one if one got into trouble. Byrd shows another example of self-reliance when he was describing one of the main characters who ran an iron mill. He described him as ‘O…
so great a master in the mystery of making Iron, where in he had led the way and was the tubal-cain of Virginia.’ O This shows self-reliance because Byrd shows that this character is the best iron maker around and that he’s self-reliant in doing it. Byrd shows self-reliance once again while describing this same character. He said ‘OHe was… first in North America who had erected a regular furnace.’ O This shows self-reliance because he set up this iron mill and furnace in the middle of nowhere with no help from anyone else. All three of these examples show that Byrd has examples of self-reliance in his writing. Another American writer who has examples of self-reliance in his writing is Franklin.
The Essay on Trancendentalist Ideas
The great transcendentalist had ideas and thoughts that were, at the time, thought to be crazy. Both Emerson and Thoreau focused on not being a follower and doing wheat you believe is right. Self-Reliance, Civil Disobedience, Walden, and The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail all show this idea, which all transcendentalists had at that time. Self-Reliance by Waldo Emerson shows many ideas of the ...
In Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac he shows many examples of self-reliance. Franklin says that ‘O God helps them that help themselves.’ O This greatly advocates self-reliance. Franklin is saying that you should help yourself, i. e. be self-reliant, before looking to God, or anyone else, for help. Franklin shows self-reliance again when he says ‘O Keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee.’ O Franklin is saying that if you work hard at something like keeping a shop you will be supported by that hard work and that you will be self-reliant.
Franklin shows self-reliance once again by saying, ‘OAt the working man’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.’ O In this quote Franklin is saying that if you work hard you’ll never be hungry, you’ll never have to depend on someone else for food, and that you’ll be self-reliant. These three examples show that Franklin has examples of self-reliance in his book Poor Richard’sAlmanac. In an other piece of writing by Franklin, The Auto-Biography, examples of self-reliance are also present. In this book Franklin writes about his childhood. He writes about when he wrote anonymous articles for his brother’spaper.
He writes ‘O… I contrived to disguise my hand, and writing an anonymous paper… .’ O This shows that he is self-reliant because he writes the articles for his brother’spaper with no one else’s help. Franklin continues talking about his childhood and writes about when he gains his freedom from his brother.
He writes ‘O… I took upon me to assert my freedom… .’ O In this quote Franklin is standing up, all by himself, and is asserting his freedom from his brother. This shows self-reliance because his is doing this all on his own with no one’s help. This also shows self-reliance because once he became free he didn’t have his brother to depend on for work anymore and he had to go out on his own. The book goes on to say that ‘O During the next several years Franklin becomes a successful printer and businessman.’ O This shows self-reliance because Franklin starts out with nothing and with no help from anyone yet he becomes successful.
The Essay on Franklin And Thoreau
Franklin and Thoreau With the independence and expansion of the United States, it became obvious to observers in the early 19th century that there existed not only a growing American nation, but also an emerging American character. One of the strongest aspects of this character was individualism. In nothing were Americans so resolute as in their determination to assert their individual capacities ...
These examples show that Franklin has examples of self-reliance in The Auto-Biography. An other American author that uses examples of self-reliance in his writing is Thoreau. In Walden, Thoreau uses many examples of self-reliance. For example in the first opening paragraphs Thoreau describes where he is living. He writes ‘O… I lived alone, in the woods, a mile from any neighbor, in a house which I had built myself…
.’ O This shows self-reliance in many different ways. First, he writes that he was living alone, without the help of anyone, meaning that he must have been self-reliant, in order to survive. The second way it shows self-reliance is that he built his house by himself. Without help from anyone else this would be very difficult task for someone who wasn’tself-reliant.
Thoreau shows self-reliance again when he writes that he ‘O… earned [his] living by [his] own hands only.’ O This shows self-reliance because he relied on work that he did with his own hands, not anyone else’s. Another way Thoreau showed self-reliance was when he wrote,’ OIn most books, the I or first person is omitted; in this it will be retained; that in respect to egotism, is the main difference.’ O This shows self-reliance because Thoreau is advocating the self. He’s write his book in the first person in order to show respect to egotism.
By advocating this he was making his own judgments about life and is hence showing self-reliance upon his own ideas. All of these examples show that Thoreau showed examples of self-reliance in his writing. All of the examples above show that American authors do use examples of self-reliance in their writing. From Franklin to Thoreau ideas of self-reliance have been an intricate part of American writing and culture. This country was founded on ideas of independence, freedom, and self-reliance.
Without self-reliance this great nation of ours wouldn’t be as great as it is. Hopefully, ideas of self-reliance we be around for years to come.
The Essay on Thoreau Vs Emerson Ideas Transcendentalism Nature
Transcendentalism is a newly founded belief and practice that involves man's interaction with nature, and the idea that man belongs to a universal spirit known as the oversoul. This idea inspired new ways of thinking among many individuals. Two leaders of this era were Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. These two, whom were good friends and roommates during college, shared many common ...
