Comparison Of Self-Reliance 'And The Last Leaves Falling'

“To-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forces to take with shame our own opinion from another”(Emerson). In this quote Emerson explains that if we do not act on our dreams and ideas we will regret it and be left to live with shame. In the United States what causes citizens to feel alienated is the lack of individualism or the lack of motive. Sometimes we let ourselves be guided by society so much that we forget who we really are. We should rely on ourselves more because if we do not rely on ourselves then we lose purpose to achieve. What do Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walking by Henry David Thoreau, and The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell have in common? All three talk about the importance to allow yourself to be your own person. They also all talk about following your dreams or ideas. Self-Reliance talks

As the prominent philosopher Emerson puts it, “Imitation is suicide.” In other words, Emerson believes that by being like others we lose touch of who we are and then we lack motivation and often feel alienated from others who have more motivation in their life. In her book, The Last Leaves Falling, Benwell maintains that “ I wish that everyone who has a chance would take it. That everyone who has a dream will chase it. For those of us who can’t” Benwells point is that there are people out there who cannot chase their dreams and there are people who simply give up. The people who give up should chase their dreams and they should do it for the people who cannot.The people who cannot follow their dreams feel useless because even though they want to they do not have the opportunity to do so therefore causing them to feel alienated. Both Emerson’s Self-Reliance and Benwell’s The Last Leaves Falling tie back to the lack of individualism and how it creates a lack of motivation that makes people feel