Aphorisms in “Nature”
Name:__________________
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Date:___________________
The literature of Transcendentalism contains a wealth of inspirational, thought-provoking
sayings called Aphorisms.
Aphorism can be defined as: a statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise, poetic
and witty manner. Synonyms for Aphorism are: a saying, a maxim, an adage, a proverb.
Warm up: In the space below, paraphrase (put in your own words) the following
aphorisms. An example has been done for you.
1. “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
2. Paraphrase: Life is unpredictable. You have to be ready for anything.
1. “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our
friends.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
 Paraphrase:
2. “An eye for an eye leaves the world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi
 Paraphrase:
3. “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” – Ralph
Waldo Emerson
 Paraphrase:
4. “It is not what you look at, but what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau
 Paraphrase:
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature resonates with an abundance of interesting aphorisms involving
humankind “listening” to the lessons that nature can teach. In the space below, paraphrase some
of the more prominent aphorisms from Nature. Underline and define any words you do not know
in order to help you understand the aphorism.
1. “If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and
adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had
been shown.”
 Paraphrase:
2. “…but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their
influence.”
 Paraphrase:
3. “The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the
child.”
 Paraphrase:
4. “In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.”
 Paraphrase:
5. “In the woods is perpetual youth.”
 Paraphrase:
6. “Standing on the bare ground…all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent
eyeball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me;
I am part or parcel of God.”
 Paraphrase:
7. “In the tranquil landscape, and especially in the distant line of the horizon, man beholds
somewhat as beautiful as his own nature.”
 Paraphrase:
8. Identify and record an aphorism from Nature that we have not discussed. Paraphrase it.
 Aphorism:

Paraphrase:
Remember, the theme of a literary work can be defined as a central idea or statement that unifies
and controls an entire literary work. The theme is the author’s way of communicating and
sharing ideas, perceptions and feelings with readers. It may be stated directly or simply implied.
In other words, the theme is the author’s message.
Finally: based on the aphorisms from Nature, what is the theme of the selection?