Ralph Waldo Emerson Nature Essay

Nature, By Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the introduction of the essay "Nature," Emerson argues that all the questions that people have
developed about the universe, including those regarding the connections between God, nature and
humanity, have answers that come through experiencing life and the world. Because each person is
a unique manifestation of divine creation, each person has a different key to solving the universe's
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`` Nature `` By Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Nature" is an essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and published by James Munroe and
Company in 1836. [1] "Nature" has a total of 41 pages. The essay consists of eight parts: Nature,
Commodity, Beauty, Language, Discipline, Idealism, Spirit and Prospects. Each part takes a
different perspective on the relationship between humans and nature. In this essay, Emerson
emphasizes the foundation of transcendentalism, "a religious and philosophical movement that
developed during the late 1820s and 30s in the Eastern region of the United States as protest against
the general state of spirituality and, in particular, the state of intellectualism." [2]
"Transcendentalism suggests that the divine, or God, suffuses nature, and suggests that reality can
be understood by studying nature." [3] "Transcendentalism is closely related to Unitarianism, the
dominant religious movement in Boston at the early nineteenth century. Transcendentalism evolved
as an organic consequence of the Unitarian emphasis on free conscience and the value of intellectual
reason." [4] Emerson divides nature into four stages: commodity, beauty, language, and discipline.
These define the ways by which humans use nature for their basic needs. The historical significance
of "Nature" was that transcendentalism club led the celebration of the American experiment as one
of the individualism and self–reliance. [5]
Emerson's purpose in the essay "Nature" is to lay out and attempt to solve an abstract problem: that
humans do

Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is with a rather interesting statement that Nature, Emerson's
first essay, opens. In the introduction, Emerson asserts that " we have no questions to ask which
are unanswerable. " Then, if we take wonder to mean a perpetual questioning of the world and our
place in it, this statement either denies the existence of wonder or redefines the notion. Nature,
therefore might become a new narrative of wonder with its own form and own complexities. The
use of the word nature is also in itself interesting. In this brief presentation I shall turn to show how
does Emerson define wonder and what is the nature of wonder ? In the introduction, Emerson gives
us a hint as to what wonder is or might be. By declaring that his age is " retrospective," Emerson
denounces the current tendency of his contemporaries to go back to the...show more content...
For it is in nature that we are exposed to "the perpetual presence of the sublime. " When we gaze at
the stars it is then that we become aware of the distinction between the material world and the
natural world. The truths of the world can also be found in the tumult of cities but only to the true
lover of nature. Nature therefore becomes the symbol of the unity of divinity, it is the demonstration
and representation of the ever– presence of God. Nature is thus the representation of truth and
perfection, and one only has to go to nature to retain his original sense of wonder. Nature becomes
an encompassing whole able to explain the mysteries of the

Essay about Ralph Waldo Emerson's Nature
"In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, – no
disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground,
– my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, – 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 particle of God."
–Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature (1836)
In his essay, "Nature", Ralph Waldo Emerson describes man's relationship to nature and to God.
Early on, he describes himself as a "transparent eyeball." In this passage, he expresses his view that
nature is purity. Emerson believes being in pure nature...show more content...
Man appreciates the beauty and pays homage to the one who created it. Emerson then says "There I
feel that nothing can befall me in life, – no disgrace, no calamity (leaving me my eyes), which nature
cannot repair." He seems to feel at one with nature. Emerson sees the serenity and peace and
realizes how insignificant all of his life's problems are. He believes that there is no problem nature
is incapable of remedying. As the saying goes, "Time heals all wounds." Emerson's words seem to
echo that. He seems almost completely careless about all his former petty concerns. His next remark,
"Standing on the bare ground, – my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space, –
all mean egotism vanishes." He feels free of the bars society has constructed, he is free of all
concerns and worries. the "infinite space" he describes indicates a place with no restrictions,
where he can be as he ought to, to see the glory and majesty of nature. Emerson also notes that
selfishness dissolves as the figurative big picture is made visible. Again, being in this situation
enables a man to realize his insignificance as a single being. "I become a transparent eyeball. I am
nothing. I see all." This metaphor embodies the basis of Emerson's entire philosophy. In this
sentence, he fully indicates his unique outlook – this "transparent eyeball" – means that he is

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Nature
In Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Nature" and my own personal experiences, we both discover the sublime
in moments of silence and engagement with nature. These events in which we cannot fully describe
in words but just appreciate the beauty are the sublime, and nature, which Emerson and I encounter,
operates as an extension of God. In the beginning of "Nature," Emerson demands that people find
their own relationship with the universe, and I never really had a personal encounter with God even
though I went to Catholic school my whole life. As Emerson progresses to his thesis and depicts his
enjoyment of nature through silence, I remembered my experience with the relic of the True Cross
and how my mind became silent and thoughtless. Through personal...show more content...
He enjoys the surrounding landscape and exchange with God: "My head bathed by the blithe air and
uplifted into infinite space,–all mean egotism vanishes. I have become a transparent eye–ball. I am
nothing. I see all" (Emerson 511). Emerson does not talk or allow himself to lose focus of the beauty
surrounding him. Instead, he turns into a "transparent eye–ball" and experiences the sublime by
permitting nature to trigger an emotional response in him. In a similar experience in middle
school, my teacher told the class that the relic of the True Cross was coming to our school. When
the class headed over to the chapel, I developed a plan of saying my memorized prayers. As soon
as I kneeled in front of the relic, I found myself at a loss for words and felt an intimate connection
with God. Throughout my whole experience with the Cross, I remained silent and did not feel
distracted by the many people in the room with me. I realize now that this sublime connection with
God developed a truth within me that silence and listening to nature's responses to me were the
best way to pray for me and to clear my mind of stress. Both Emerson and my points about silence
do not mean that everyone should pray and reflect without words but rather to discover one's
personal truth by clearing his or her mind of distractions. This experience created my freedom–a
removal of distant, indifferent words to me and a creation of peace and beautiful reflection in

Ralph Waldo Emerson 's Nature
Ralph Waldo Emerson 's "Nature" This paper discusses four literary elements in Ralph Waldo
Emerson 's work, entitled "Nature". It is an essay that attempts to make people establish a deeper
bond with nature and accept it for what it is. Men continually becomes busy with daily lives because
of modern advancements and increasing number of endeavors. In the process, they tend to ignore
nature and forget giving back to it by being ungrateful of its generosity. Various perspectives were
discussed in the essay. Through the literature 's view, Emerson have founded the ideas of
transcendentalism, which is a systematic belief that appreciates the beauty of nature through
divinity. Its status is emphasized as being merged with the creator. Transcendentalism stresses that
concepts of reality can only be understood through deep studies and reflection in relation to nature.
Through the key ideas mentioned and explained in the essay "Nature", this paper aims to analyze
Emerson 's work by analyzing four literary elements in the literature, which includes setting, tone,
style and point of view. One of the important literary element is setting. It depicts the place and time
in which the work is placed. The essay 's setting is situated in the reflective view of Emerson
regarding nature. Although the author just provided his thoughts regarding the subject matter, he
attempted to put the reader in the setting of nature to completely comprehend the reflections in his
ideas. He makes this

As human beings we take everything for granted. We think not of the struggle that nature endures to
blossom into something that we can find divine. Nor do we think about the hours and passion that a
writer may have put into that piece of literature we pick up and read. We are expectant creatures who
complain when it's too hot outside, not even thinking that, that warmth is keeping us alive, or we get
mad when it rains too much, not appreciating it for keeping nature flourishing. Ralph Waldo Emerson
talks of humans' disdain for nature and how detached we have become in his piece "Nature." We'll
take a look at Emerson's opinion on the lack of compassion and awe that mankind has for the world
around them.
Nature was not uncommon to be a...show more content...
Emerson makes it very clear that it is absurd that we are ungrateful for the flora around us when it
is never unkind or unforgiving. Whereas the busy industrialized world will eat you alive, the
calm invitation of nature will accept you gladly in its presence every time. He writes about how
it is rare for adults to be in awe of nature, and that we need to preserve a sense of childhood within
us. The reason being, that children are more prone to the discovery of their surroundings. They
have not yet become accustomed to trees blowing in the wind, or water gathering on the ground.
They are not annoyed by the sounds of birds, and hold no disgust yet for crawling creatures. They
are just simply in wonderstruck by it all, as if it is something too good to be true; this is the virtue
that Emerson wants us all to hold dear. As a society, we have gotten so out of touch with the world
as it should be, and now it's all about trying to make everything "better." The Swarthmore College of
Environmental Studies says that "It is hard to argue that industrialization has not brought humans a
greater ability to manipulate their environment ("Industrialization and the Environment")." This is
the very thing that Emerson is acting against. We have to get back in touch with nature, because
then we will find ourselves closer to God. As it stands right now, it seems we are all trying to play
our own "gods." We

Journal #1 In Ralph Waldo Emerson's Nature, the religious, philosophical, and nature loving
impressions of transcendentalism resume the endorsement of individuality, but now, it distinguishes
itself by including nature into the forefront of creation. Through nature, man receives the tenets of
truth by reflecting upon the connection between man and nature. Transcendentalism recognizes that
human spirituality is reflected in nature. The wisdom of humans is deepened by "finding out all
her perfections" (para 2), and "the flowers, the animals, [and] the mountains" reflect wisdom by
empowering the "spirit of infancy" (para 2). Emerson regarded childhood as the pinnacle of
wisdom because infancy is designed to have a carefree, rapt response to nature. Their "inward and
outward senses" (para 2) are in sync to appreciate the beauty of nature that also resides in humans.
Through Emerson's introspection, he discovered that "man beholds somewhat as beautiful as his
own nature" (para 2) from watching the tranquil horizon in solitude, and the word somewhat
suggests that beauty is subjective to the beholder's eyes even if the same beauty is presented in
nature. This is where the idea of infancy proves again to result in greater appreciation for beauty,
and Emerson provides an example of how "nature always wears the colors of the spirit" (para 4). A
man whose spirit is saddened by calamity and grief views nature with contempt because it festers in
his heart (para 4), and although the

The Symbolism Of Nature By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nature has many elements to it that have symbolic meaning in diverse ways to every person. One of
the many symbols of nature is the sun, which to many people it's symbolic of power. When we see
it, we notice that without the sun there would be no life on our planet. One young boy from Boston,
Massachusetts, Ralph Waldo Emersonwas one of the most well–known writers for the symbolic
meanings of nature and with that became an inspirational writer during his time. His ideas and
writings helped shape the paths of other writers like Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller.
While writing, Emerson was using the theme of spirituality to re–imagine the divine as something
large and visible, he accomplished this by writing an essay called "Nature". This...show more
content...
In Emerson states that, "there is no object so foul that intense light will not make beautiful"
(186). What Emerson is trying to say in this sentence is that light can make even the most impure
objects beautiful. Emerson goes on to describe the characteristics of beauty into three distinct
forms. According to Emerson the first form is "nature has medicinal and restorative powers"
(186). What Emerson is attempting to say here is that when we open ourselves up to the nature,
to us as individuals who have been left vulnerable to toxic environments, nature is able to cure
our mind and soul. One example of how nature has some healing power is that when we are
stressed out over work, school, or other stress inducers, we can simply go out on a nice clear
sunny day which will help relieve that stress and calm ourselves mentally and spiritually. The
second form of nature as said by Emerson is "natures beauty enhances the grandeur of noble deeds
and increases spirituality" (186). When he is talking about how the beauty of our natural
surroundings that if good men do honorable deeds, they will be rewarded by nature with its beauty.
The third characteristic of beauty in Emerson's eyes is that of intellect. Emerson says, "the intellect
searches out the absolute order of things as they stand in the mind of God" (188). What Emerson is
telling us is that our intellect with how we perceive nature is a constant cycle to put them in order
of what they meant in the mind of God when he created them. We can accomplish this by meditating
when surrounded by nature, then thinking deeply about what we saw and how we perceived them
and think how God would perceive them. This is yet another way how we can bring our lives back
into harmony with nature. One more way that Emerson was able to use spirituality side of nature,
was his seventh chapter called

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Beauty Of Nature
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1. How would our attitude towards the stars change if they appeared only once every thousand
years? What point is Emerson making about nature with this attention–getting example? (quote from
the text) If the stars only appeared once, every thousand years, we would be much more awed and
appreciate them much more than we do now. "Nature never became a toy to a wise spirt," I
believe that with this example shows how a wise person never takes stars, or in general, nature for
granted, even if they were to see it everyday. But rather a man who is not wise, takes the stars for
granted and doesn't appreciate them. I strongly believe Emerson is trying to make the point here that
many people take nature for granted, and we...show more content...
"Most people do not see the sun," I believe this is a great example of how an adult vs a kid sees the
sun. Adults go to work everyday and just expect the sky to light up because it's the daytime. When
kids go to school, though they expect it to light up because they notice the sun and there
surroundings. As people grow older, we become more close minded. Throughout this essay, Emerson
is encouraging us to be more open minded and to take time to really see nature and its true beauty.
1. What do you think Emerson means by "that divine idea which each of us represents" (paragraph
1)?
When Emerson says "that divine idea which each of represents," I think he is talking about how
we act, according to God. Emerson is talking about if we are act right, according to God's ways. I
believe that by using the words "divine idea," he means the good works of God. A quote that
displays if you are not doing God's work,"but God will not his work done by manifest cowards."
Emerson seems to feel very strongly that if you are not living how God wants you to, you are a
coward. He obviously seems to have a strong faith himself. I believe he is also trying to show how
God is seen through each person who does the right thing. I also thinks he Emerson believes that
we represent and he is talking about how the good things we do shows God's divine idea, of
everything being good. Emerson writing seems biased here because of

What Is Nature By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Excerpts from nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1849), a text in which Ralph Waldo Emerson talks
about the relationship of humanity with nature; most importantly understanding the word "Nature".
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Born in 1803 in Boston, being a Unitarian Minister, he embraced all the
four main ideas of Unitarianism. He lived and wrote during the days of Westward expansion, a
religious sudden change, domestic and political change. His generation and him grew up during the
war of 1812. This lead them to develop a new patriotism when Boston was in fear of British
invasion. Emerson's writing reflects the nature struggle to develop an American identity throughout
this time and this is why it was considered very "Unique". By mid...show more content...
If we go back ay back in history we notice that language was image based and composed of
symbol. Unfortunately today language does not represent anymore our simple, "down to earth"
desires but is mostly concentrated more on our secondary "artificial" desires. Emerson's main
idea is based on the fact that humans need to acquire a new, more educated way to see the world,
observe the world with new eyes a wider perspective. What we see everyday should never be
taken for granted. Emerson's introduction ends by an abstract definition of "what is Nature". What
is Nature? For Emerson, nature is everything that is external to ourselves, all that is "not me" this
includes our own bodies. For him the human/nature relationship is revolutionary, he thought that
humanity was separated from nature that nature is only a mere reflection of humans, and that few
of us see the true nature, what nature really looks like. We all tend to see nature how we like to
see it. That's why every single one of us sees nature in a different way. Emerson says, that in order
for us, humans to see nature for what it truly is, we need to put on our "transparent eye ball" that
was born with everyone of us, and is just lost somewhere in

Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay
Ralph Waldo Emerson, nineteenth century poet and writer, expresses a philosophy of life, based
on our inner self and the presence of the soul. Emerson regarded and learned from the great minds
of the past, he says repeatedly that each person should live according to his own thinking. I will try
to explain Emerson's philosophy, according to what I think he is the central theme in all his works.
"Do not seek answers outside yourself"
This is the main idea of Waldo's philosophy. He thinks that a man should learn to express himself.
Being yourself will help you to solve the problems of your life. We need to trust ourselves in order to
improve our life, like all great men have done. Self–reliance stems from within deep in our soul
which is...show more content...
Nature in life teaches the understanding, is a practicing for the intellect in learning how to deal with
life's problems. From Emerson's transcendental (a word I had to learn its meaning in order to
understand Waldo's theory) view the natural figures are also symbols of spirituals facts or
philosophy. That by interacting with nature people learn not only what is practical but also what is
good; for Emerson the nature and the soul are perfectly complementary.
Waldo says that is good to learn from the books as long as the reader keeps his creativity and way of
thinking; that by practical experience we learn quickly and well.
"A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from with
in, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages."
He tries to makes us realize our own virtues by calling our internal means, that's the way to answers
to many questions, and even answers for the question we haven't even shape. To keep the integrity of
one's internal evolution.
When people begin to realize that autonomy and the expression of your thoughts is right for them,
then many good changes will happen in society. Emerson's, not only poems, leads the facts of
extended view of progressive learning, but also offers insights into age–old or "natural method" as
better than new technology based on experimentation. In many of his poems he compares the beauty
of the nature, and expresses, with nature and natural process we can

Nature By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson encourages readers to set aside trivial things in order to find peace
outside of their "chamber." While some readers claim Emerson is being unrealistic and that the
modern American is incapable of transcendence, it is untrue. Though it may seem difficult to find
solitude in modern society, it is nowhere near impossible. People who claim that Americans cannot
reach transcendence in nature fail to acknowledge those who really desire transcendence and have
found ways to unplug from the rest of the world and truly reach solitude. The modern American can
seem wrapped up in technology. The invention of modern computers and smartphones brought about
easier ways to communicate with people. These virtual communications are believed to distract from
real–life communication. Even though people seem to be consumed by the recent technology boom,
many...show more content...
If people are genuinely unhappy with their own lives, spending a day in the forest is not suddenly
going to make their problems vanish. One obstacle that many Americans struggle with is how
fast–paces American life is. Most Americans attend highschool, college, and then get a job. The
entirety of American life is spent working. This often creates stress and unhappiness for people.
People get so caught up in the triviality of their work that they forget to take care of themselves.
Even though Americans can be consumed by life at times, it is their choice as to whether or not
they want to see the beauty of nature. Emerson maintains, "Nature always wears the colors of the
spirit." Emerson is saying that nature is unchanging, the only thing that can alter someone's view of
nature is how he looks at it. If someone goes into nature, seeking solitude, he is capable of reaching
it. If someone goes into nature with his life problems on his mind, he is bound to be distracted by
trivial

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Nature Analysis
"Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink the wild air" –Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson's quote
enlightens the idea of transcendentalism. Declaring to enjoy nature for what it is , to value the idea
of having the freedom of it and to realize there is more to life than what you are living. In the
essay, "Nature", by Ralph Waldo Emerson he finds himself challenged by the honesty of nature,
which compares to Chris McCandless adventure in the book, Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer. First,
one must enjoy things as how they come. Emerson explains this feat in his essay by shadowing there
is more than what meets the eye to nature. His purpose for thinking this is shown in this, "Nature
never wears a mean appearance" (Emerson220). In this, Emerson...show more content...
Proclaiming this, Krakauer means after one experiences something so great they learn and are
shaped by the change they had. As one goes on in life they change, just like Chris is when he
went to into the wild. As the book goes on it avers, "The fullest sense of the word, an epic journey
would change everything" (Krakauer22). Displaying that Krakauer is referring to McCandless'
trip. How one thing could change someone so much. The honesty of nature shaped McCandless
as he was on this adventure. It showed him how good life can be. As one can tell Emerson's essay
and Krakauer's book shows how on is shaped by the honesty of nature. Emerson and McCandless'
story are similar. They both feel like nature is a pure thing. Comparing the two, when McCandless
is living off the land and how both feel like one should use the land to its full potential. Also, the
two excerpts are similar for both explain that nature is something that is truly aesthetic. As both
stories set out to prove how one can overlook how extraordinary nature is. It wasn't until
McCandless set out into the wild that he candidly appreciated the outdoors. "Nature" and Into the
Wild both state that adults don't see nature in full. McCandless and Emerson realize that there is
copious more to nature as one grows older, but it's rarely recognized. As McCandless takes his
adventure into the wild, he realizes how superlative it is and how one

A Close Reading Of Nature By Ralph Waldo Emerson
Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson has a lot to teach about how to respect the earth because it is a
mighty force but Nature also teaches what it means to be connected with nature and the feelings that
are associated with connection. During my close read of Nature I faced challenges, successes, and a
greater appreciation for the writing from a world that is drastically different from the one I live in.
One of my biggest struggles while annotating the piece was looking at the big picture and what the
paragraph as a whole was telling me. While I am annotating I tend to focus more on the smaller
pieces such as the meaning of words and decoding what a sentence is saying. It's hard to pull back
from that and connect the bigger pieces to find what the

Nature By Ralph Waldo Emerson Summary
"Nature" written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is an essay written to put forth the idea of
transcendentalism, the belief system that supports the appreciation of nature, which was not
common at the time. Emerson unveils the current, modern inclination to accept the knowledge
and thoughts of the past, instead of experiencing nature and god face to face, like before. He
believes that the questions constantly being asked by man, about God, Nature, and the world
around us can truly only be answered by experiencing the world around us and life itself. Emerson
describes Nature itself as everything not touched by man, waiting to be discovered by the
individuals that hold the power to do so themselves. He also exclaims that everything else, such as
art, is just Nature combined with the will of man, to create something new. Emerson is able to
sway the readers views by using lengthy, persuasive ideas in the form of beautifully written text. In
chapter I, Emerson explains that in order to have true solitude, man must leave behind all distracting
and preoccupying things including society itself. He argues that when a man gazes upon the stars,
he is shown his own division between him and the substance world. As the stars are visible every
night, this "proves" that God is always there watching over. The stars also seem to amaze man every
time, even though he has already seen them countless times. Emerson discusses how the perceived
whole of Nature, is separated into smaller components.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essay 'Nature'
In his essay entitled "Nature," Ralph Waldo Emerson encourages his readers to look around,
appreciate, and take nothing for granted. Emerson emphasizes the importance of removing oneself
from all distractions, and suggests solitude as a way to truly connect with nature. We need to look
at the landscape, and become a part of it. For nature allows one to focus, and become enlightened.
Three lines of Emerson that best support his main message: 1."To go into solitude, a man needs to
retire as much from his chamber as from society." 2."In the woods is perpetual youth." 3."In the
woods, we return to reason and faith." 4."I become a transparent eye–ball; I am nothing; I see all; the
currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part...show more content...
"Natural influences work indirectly as well as directly; they work upon the subconscious, as well
as upon the conscious self." 2."One thing is certain, in a hygienic way I owe much to my
excursions to Nature." 3."When I come back, I go to Nature to be soothed and healed, and to
have my senses put in tune once more." 4."To absorb a thing is better than to learn it, and we
absorb what we enjoy." What do these two selections/authors have in common? "Nature" and "The
Gospel of Nature" ...... Nature is something for us all to enjoy. Both Emerson and Burroughs see
nature as the most important and effective tool for learning. Being immersed and connecting with
the landscape helps restore balance in one's life. What are these two selections/authors different? As
I compare these two selections, it is apparent that Burroughs' essay is more personal than Emerson's
essay. Burroughs speaks about his own experiences in nature, and how these excursions have
changed him as an individual. Throughout his essay, "The Gospel of Nature" Burroughs repeats the
word 'enjoy.' To enjoy something is to take delight or pleasure in or to have the benefit of. Our
connection to the natural world is vital, as it revitalizes our mind, body, and

Nature Ralph Waldo Emerson Analysis
To fully understand and appreciate "Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as his other works
and those that followed him, it is important to grasp his devout belief in the concept of
transcendentalism. Emerson believed that to truly enjoy a well–rounded, bountiful life one must be
not only aware but in tune with nature and realize that it is as important (if not more) than natural
education. The idea of pushing back against the societal normal which was standard education and
following what was considered the appropriate formula for success proved one of Emerson's greatest
achievements. Armed with the belief that we have all the power within ourselves to connect with
nature and access the most inner parts of our mind without the aid of...show more content...
It is clear that there is the belief of religious figures shining a light on their followers and using that
light to illuminate a righteous path but what better analogy then stars as they have for countless
years been a light and helped many find their natural path. Being able to appreciate nature is being
able to separate yourself from all the possessions and materialistic ideologies that Emerson believed
to plague our society. There is a perfect example of separating yourself from society and being
something else entirely when Emerson said, "[i] become a transparent eye–ball. I am nothing. I see
all" (511). The eye is what allows us to see, without its connection to the brain its sole purpose is
not to process even what is in its view but rather simply see. The point is to step back and view
things as you see them objectively not allowing what you know or have learned about what you are
seeing to affect anything, but rather simply appreciating and beholding the beauty of your sight.
Emerson wants the reader to understand the importance of separating ourselves on occasion and
appreciating the simplistic beauty that is nature and allow ourselves to get a better understanding of
both life and ourselves through untainted eyes. One of the greatest aspects of life that

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Essay 'Nature'
In today's society many Americans look past of the importance of nature even though many
Americans don't realize it, nature as a huge impact on their whole lives. The light romantic author,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote an essay called "Nature", which had a strong effect on me for how I
feel about nature and enlightened me on how this essay reflects on today's American society. While
I was reading the essay "Nature", it opened my mind to the meaning of nature, the possibilities
nature holds, and the true beauty that nature holds. Nature is something that I have always taken for
granted until I read this essay. In chapter one and three of Nature, Emerson explains in two parts of
the essay of how nature is taken for granted and the beauty of the always...show more content...
Emerson states in chapter one, "If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how
would men believe and adore them; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the
city of God which had been shown"(509). People's situational awareness to Nature is lost and
nature ends up being taken for granted even in the most wonderful things such as the sun. In
chapter three Emerson states, " to the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty,
and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and shall
never be seen again" (514). Nature is always changing, something that was seen yesterday can't
been seen today in the same way. No matter how small of the change it will never be the same. For
example if a person's looks to the sky one day and then on another there would be multiple changes
in the scenery such as, the clouds, the weather, and the time. I personally have never thought as
nature as the way I do now

The Use of Analogies Throughout many writings, authors use analogies to compare two indicated
topics to one another in a more detailed evaluation. Analogies help the reader to grasp the indicated
topics the author compares, giving the reader a further knowledgeable understanding of the
comparison. Ralph Waldo Emersonuses numerous analogies throughout many of his writings to
create a smooth assessment of the subject stipulated. The analogies used throughout Ralph Waldo
Emerson's writing entitled "Nature" gives the reader more knowledge of the topics, a comparable
similarity of the given topics and how the given topics interact together to further explicate the
comparison. Gathering knowledge throughout reading "Nature" gives the reader a more visual
perspective of the topics discussed throughout the series of essays Emerson writes. To demonstrate
this, Emerson states "The motion of the earth round its axis, and round the sun, makes the day, and
the year. These are certain amounts of brute light and heat. But is there no intent of an analogy
between man's life and the seasons? And do the seasons gain no grandeur or pathos from that
analogy?" (517). The author uses this quote to compare a person's life to the seasons of the year,
giving the reader a further explanation of how the changing of the seasons are similar to the changes
a person goes through in his or her life. Analogies not only give the reader an enhanced
understanding of the text, analogies also assist

Ralph Waldo Emerson Nature Essay

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Ralph Waldo Emerson Nature Essay