Emerson's third maxim "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind" expresses the theme, or universal truth about human beings, that people have incredible minds and imaginations, yet they must learn to think for themselves.The maxim states that people tend to be dependent and focus on what others may be thinking, but Emerson wants people to understand that nothing is important as the strength and morality of their own individual thoughts. This theme is seen throughout Lawrence and Lee's play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail." The first instance where this theme is portrayed is where Henry and Edward go huckleberry-hunting. The scene shows the readers how much fun Henry and Edward are having even though they are hunting for …show more content…
As a response, Edward runs around and "spots" patches of huckleberries and starts "picking" them. This scene heavily displays the theme of Emerson's third maxim. Henry and Edward use their abilities of imagination to create a game of huckleberry-hunting. Through this way of thinking, one can be able to let go of materialistic objects and just use their imagination. This also applies to Anne Bradstreet's poem "Upon the Burning of Our House" where she loses her materialistic objects in a fire and thanks the Lord for taking it from her. This theme is also shown where Henry and Waldo are having an argument about voting. Waldo says that he has cast his vote but Henry angrily replies, "Cast your whole vote. Not just a strip of paper! Your whole influence!" (Lawrence and Lee 84). Henry mocks Waldo for saying, "Go along" as in going along with the crowd. This scene may tie in with maxim number eight which states that one should not imitate others, but the argument shows that Henry wants Waldo to act based on his own thoughts instead of just going along with the crowd. The maxim stresses individualism and suggests that people need to act based on their own thoughts and not the thoughts and opinions of others. A
Henry David Thoreau is historically recognized as a transcendentalist who inspired others through his essays portraying his individual and unique ways of thinking. In the play, The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, Henry’s night spent in jail is portrayed with accompanying flashbacks of his earlier life. One of these flashbacks includes the character Ellen Sewell. Henry David Thoreau and Ellen Sewell share numerous interactions but each character has their own intentions. Henry often shows that he wants to teach Ellen about his way of living and to lead her to her happiness. Ellen on the other hand shows that she wants to learn from Henry from nothing more.
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail, by Robert Edwin Lee and Jerome Lawrence, is a play that speaks about Henry David Thoreau and a few events in his life that lead up to his arrest. The play speaks of David Thoreau’s very ideals and beliefs. His transcendentalist way of life, simplistic and explorative, and how these very same ideas came together sending him to spend a night in jail. The play begins with the present, Thoreau already in jail. As the play continues there are flashbacks and past events that are told to us. One event, in particular, that was “The Nightmare” scene, where Thoreau had a nightmare filled with the very things he hated and found to be horrible. Including war and violence.
To Doris, Henry infers Mr. Hairston as a weak person. The quote applies to Mr. Hairston, by explaining that his grumpy
it is his." In this quote Emerson is elaborating on the idea that we must all exude
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The American Scholar ; Self-reliance ; Compensation. N.p.: American Book, 1893. Print.
Emerson provides many examples to help illustrate his point. In the beginning he gives the example of an acquaintance of his, Sir Charles Fellowes. He explains how he
-The man vs. man conflict is brought up many times throughout this story. The first that is posed is the conflict between Huckleberry and Pap. Pap is Huckleberry’s abusive biological father, and an alcoholic to boot. He first comes in and tries to steal his son’s fortune, just so he can get drunk. Huckleberry is kidnapped by his father for a short time, and during this is beaten many times. Huckleberry eventually escapes as he saws his way out of a shed with an old saw he finds. He then kills a pig to fake his own death and smears blood all over the shed so the story is more believable.
... theme of protagonist and antagonist truly being one and the same rather than seperate, despite surface observations.
Nearly two hundred years ago Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered a speech to a group of Scholars, it was his intention to motivate and inspire. He expressed his beliefs in a way that was objectionable to some and encouraging to others. Each man was given a chance to examine his life and the life's of their predecessors.
and personal belief. Emerson believed that it's better for an ordinary person to live a moral and honest life
The essay “Self-Reliance”, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is a persuasive essay promoting the ways of transcendentalism. He uses this paper to advance a major point using a structure that helps his argument. In the paper, Emerson begins his concluding thoughts with a statement that greater self-reliance will bring a revolution. He then applies this idea to society and all of its aspects, including religion, education, and art. This brings Emerson to a new, more precise focus on how society never advance, rather it recedes on one side as fast as it gains on the other. This shocking, yet intriguing, idea is supported and augmented using tone, metaphor, example, and the consequence of ignoring his opinion. The final result is a conglomeration of ideas into the major points that, “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” With the major points and devices used by Emerson defined, it is now possible to examine in greater detail how he persuades the reader, starting with the use of tone.
5. This quote has to do with Henry’s life. He says that there is so
...“Jack. It isn’t Ernest; it’s Jack”. This only serves to add more irony as it reveals that the main object of desire in the play is in fact a lie. We therefore see Wilde’s contempt for hypocritical morality coming out in a sharp satire of the deep flaws in the foundations of the upper class.
against the rules. At first Henry objects, but when the soldier asks him “You wouldn’t
Sergeant Major Morris told Mr. White. (fate vs. free will) type of theme stated in this quote because we observe that “The Monkey Paws” is full with questions about the power of people in their lives.