Analysis Of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Experience

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s piece, “Experience”, the main subject revolves around the powers that define the life of the common man. Instead of following social expectations, Emerson encourages his followers to obey their personal desire and he urges his writers to be frank with other individuals in their relationships. Emerson begins his essay with a poem about the ‘Lords of life’ explaining the concern that he tries to point to that we have been living in a state of uncertainty among the lords of life. These are the forces acting in our lives and deciding how we are functioning and maintaining our lives. Emerson argues the lack of original ideas and stories in the history of literature and random acts and views in culture except for practice sense. In our darkest moods, we hope to find the sharp edges of reality and truth. Emerson argues, nevertheless, that these moods teach us just how shallow they must be. It seems to be that they are untouched by what dramatic events have crawled upon them. So, Emerson suggests that every mood gives the universe a different lens, revealing only what is its emphasis. Emerson also acknowledges that temperament limitations are spiritual. Emerson then claims that the essence to life’s analogy derives from the need for change and object succession which further makes it hard for people to accept or knowledge new concepts or ideas. All this yet does not describe a good life. It is important to live in the moment and make the best of what we have to offer. To live life with no expectations so there is less room for disappointment. Emerson then concludes the piece by displaying that there is a balance in life force, anything outside of that is dangerous.

In a way, Emerson’s “Experience” can be compared to his other work “Self-Reliance”. In “Self-Reliance”, Emerson quotes that “Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous, half possession” which means a person is special within himself, and when brought into this world, everyone has different qualities (B:251). Emerson tells others not to waste their own talents watching someone else because that’s a reason they won’t be successful. This in relation to “Experience”, Emerson stresses that he observes his own tone rather than that of an authority. Self-reliance is separated into three sections. All are filled with the importance of mood and feeling of oneself. Another quote from “Self-Reliance” is ‘nothing can bring you peace but yourself” which means society needs to focus more on ourselves than on culture to provide us with what we need to do further (B: 253). We focus our attention on superficial things in the world to get us happiness and security, when we are all supposed to be ourselves, and nothing can ever offer us joy in this. He wants to leave his readers with a new perspective on how the world’s things can’t bring us peace, but we can only bring peace to ourselves. This relates to “Experience” in how in society we believe in ourselves, but not in others. We reap what we sew. The importance of unconformity is important in these two pieces. “Self-Reliance” also claims that by remaining still and allowing the underlying reality that roots us and all nature communicates to us in the form of instinct, people tap into that honesty, fairness, and knowledge. Therefore, a large portion of the piece is about conformity and American society, and how there is a call to action for this.

Another piece that can be compared and contrasted to “Experience” is Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. To illustrate the repercussions of the institution of slavery, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this piece. It also attempts to destroy this statute and the system it serves, calling unceasingly for the unconditional abolition of the slaves and for equality for all society. In this piece, conformity is the way of life. Stowe shows slaves whose moral and spiritual soundness by what happens to them is damaged or destroyed. Throughout the novel, Stowe demonstrates how many slave owners are very kind to their servants but encourages us to know that possessing a human being is still very dehumanizing. As they were dominated in every way of life, African Americans were still unable to make their own decisions. The plantation owners dictated where they worked, their work, and even tried to control how they were marrying in order to keep them together on one plantation and have more slaves to rule once they were married and had a child. Stowe adds quotes like “I’ve seen ‘em as would pull a woman’s child out of her arms, and set him up to sell, and she screechin’ like mad all the time;–very bad policy—damages the article—makes ‘em quite unfit for service sometimes” to show inhuman slavery is, she wants us to bear witness to all the hurt that these African Americans have suffered (B:797). This power and control drove society back then. Emerson would describe this as a flaw in humanity. Stowe uses the superficial differences between Harris and Shelby to speak against the stereotype of the satisfied slave which is not common and to prove that slavery has a corrupting influence even on the white men who seem to be the most conscientious. Accordingly, Stowe uses the misleading analogy between Harris and Shelby to claim that slavery renders tyrants the men. This imbalance shows that the ultimate flaw in the system of slavery, which can be compared to the imbalance of life force in “Experience”.

Frederick Douglass’ “Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass” can also be compared to both Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and Emerson’s pieces. Douglass goes through life from childhood to adulthood, from ignorance to understanding, and from slave to independence. He also embarked on a physical journey to escape bondage, knowing he needed to be free to be fully self-actualized. This is also the purpose of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”—explication of the horrors of slavery. However, Douglass is an extension of bravery, a man who did not conform to the ideals of society back then. He did not just sit back and live in fear. In fact, he mirrors Emerson’s, ideal man. The consequences of self-reliance were raised by Emerson: shifting religious practices, empowering Americans to build their own society, and relying on the person rather than social development. Learning how to read and write opens the world to Douglass and helps him articulate his thoughts. Douglass strives to give this same power to his fellow slaves. With education, his fellow slaves will free their minds, even if their bodies remain chained. With this, they defy the norms… and originality. Even Douglass and Emerson believe that education is going to be the key to freedom and freedom, and while he is trying to learn as much as he can. Douglass even states “I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather than a blessing. It had given me a view of my wretched condition, without the remedy. It opened my eyes to the horrible pit, but to no ladder upon which to get out (B:). Eventually, these aspects of independence, being urban and educated, lead to his final act of rebellion, which he believed would bring liberty which is just the type of strong-willed independence needed that is highlighted through “Experience”.

Religion also plays a vital role in all three of these pieces. In “Experience”, Emerson advocates self-trust and how society should concentrate on maintaining feelings and the relationship with God, not the relationship of others. In “Self-Reliance”, Emerson insists that nothing brings peace, not faith, but one’s own self. In “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, Stowe claims religion is a body of law, and the novel says true faith is pure, childlike devotion. In Frederick Douglass’s narrative, Douglass explained that he was not against all faith, but only a Christian slave-holding America. However, all pieces maintain a thorough theme of the battle between conformity and not conforming or individual versus society. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Experience” can be compared and contrasted to many pieces in Norton’s literature book. Everyone should live every day like it is the last.