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The Excerpt Of Self-Reliance By Ralph Waldo Emerson

175 Words1 Pages
In the excerpt of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance,” 1841, his purpose is made manifest with mocking metaphors, and creates a candid tone. These components Emerson implements add up to the idea that, “to be great is to be misunderstood.” Emerson starts off this excerpt with “the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide…” These are such concrete metaphors that present a loaded concept. It seems Emerson believes envy is selfish, or even offensive. To be envious is asinine. An individual can acquire anything through hard work and perseverance. One should not compare themselves to another through successes if they themselves are able to accomplish the same task. Emerson continues to promote that concept with “imitation
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