Name _________________
United States Literature
Transcendentalism & Ralph Waldo Emerson
Page 362
Directions: Answer all parts of the question with textual evidence to support your responses. Each answer
should be approximately 3 strong sentences to 1 strong paragraph.
Transcendentalism
1. What might be the advantages and disadvantages in resisting, as Johnson and Emerson have done, “the
pressure to conform to things that were unreasonable… and to value [their] own Individual voice and
vision”?
2. When Johnson was a teenager, what three important lessons did he learn from Emerson? What important
life lessons have you learned vicariously through reading literature, watching movies or television, or
any other form of pop culture?
3. What two qualities does Emerson’s “sturdy lad from New Hampshire or Vermont” display? Are these
qualities still part of our “core beliefs” as Americans? Why or why not?
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1. Define figurative language and imagery. How are these literary terms similar to symbols yet
different?
from Nature Pg. 367-368
1. Define Emerson’s idea of “mean egotism”. According to Emerson, under what circumstances does
“mean egotism” vanish? In nature, what emotion does Emerson believe replaces “mean egotism”?
2. When does Emerson become a “transparent eyeball”? What are the characteristics of this experience? In
what ways does this description reflect Transcendentalist belief in an Over-Soul?
from Self-Reliance P. 369-370
1. What terms does Emerson use to describe society? According to Emerson, what is society’s main
purpose? In what ways does Emerson believe people should be affected by the way others perceive
them?
2. According to Emerson, what role does the “divine” have in determining each person’s circumstances?
What would Emerson say is each person’s reason for living? Explain.
3. How important is Emerson’s use of the adjective “foolish” in his discussion of consistency? Do you
think there are any circumstances in which Emerson would advocate the benefits of consistency?
Explain.
from Concord Hymn Pg. 371
1. What event took place by the “rude bridge”? What does the poet mean by the image of “the shot heard
round the world”?
2. What has happened to the bridge since the battle that took place there? How does the poem’s
organization reflect a sense of the passage of time?
3. In the last stanza, whom does the poet address directly? In what way does this direct address reflect the
Transcendentalist belief in an Over-Soul?
4. Which aspects of Concord Hymn would be appropriate for the dedication of other war monuments? Be
specific in aspects and examples of war monuments.