Se-AnnWilliams

Understanding of Emerson: Self-Reliance

In Self-Reliance, Emerson hits on the idea that we as individuals should be reliant on God and that every person has been into their life and position by God. As well as being reliant on God, we are to trust ourselves. Emerson in the essay said that God has put the power to handle things, think, and act into each individual. Not only are we to act into each individual, we are in need to trust what God has put inside of us. Trusting in what God has put in us, allows us to do things with our lives.
The idea is almost that of predestination, for the fact that we have a choice of which road to take. Predestination is the idea that a higher power or God has planned everything that will happen to a person in their life. Although some individuals might not agree with this, I do. Emerson idea is that God has put the choice to us, but he has given us all gifts of chosen the path we want to take. In the third paragraph, he wrote that Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string……. the paragraph continues, but he also gives us the idea of trusting ourselves through God. Individuals need to trust in God to tell them what to do and what to think.
In my opinion Emerson is telling individuals that we need to be ourselves and trust in God for guidance. As individuals we need to try to be ourselves especially in the things we say, rather than contradicting our actions and thoughts.