American Scholar Speech Analysis
Justin Gallagher
Mr. Allen
AP English 11
7 December 2012
“Our anniversary is one of hope, and, perhaps, not enough of labor.” Ralph Waldo Emerson addressed the 1837 incoming class of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He spoke about how the American scholar should rely on oneself to make advancements and not be dependent on others. Emerson uses methods of argumentation, literary elements, and Romantic and Transcendental elements to convey the message of self-reliance. First, throughout the speech, Emerson uses methods of argumentation, particularly deductive and inductive reasoning. He begins his deductive reasoning by saying:
“Young men of the fairest promise, who begin life upon our shores, inflated by the mountain winds, shined upon by all the stars of God, find the earth below not in unison with these, — but are hindered from action by the disgust which the principles on which business is managed inspire, and turn drudges, or die of disgust, — some of them suicides. What is the remedy? They did not yet see, and thousands of young men as hopeful now crowding to the barriers for the career, do not yet see, that, if the single man plant himself indomitably on his instincts, and there abide, the huge world will come round to him.”
When Emerson begins that quote, he conveys the message that, in adulthood, one cannot trust others, and afterwards, he goes on to say that people hate jobs. This makes the listener think: then why do people not quit their jobs? Finally, he arrives at his conclusion that if “you want to see,” you need to change. This deductive reasoning works as a syllogism, since he states one truth: that people do not like their jobs, and another truth: that unhappy people do not succeed, to end up with his final statement: that unless people enjoy what they are doing and do it for themselves, they will not succeed. Emerson relays the message that if one wants to succeed, one must change and not rely on others. Ultimately, one must make his
Mr. Allen
AP English 11
7 December 2012
“Our anniversary is one of hope, and, perhaps, not enough of labor.” Ralph Waldo Emerson addressed the 1837 incoming class of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He spoke about how the American scholar should rely on oneself to make advancements and not be dependent on others. Emerson uses methods of argumentation, literary elements, and Romantic and Transcendental elements to convey the message of self-reliance. First, throughout the speech, Emerson uses methods of argumentation, particularly deductive and inductive reasoning. He begins his deductive reasoning by saying:
“Young men of the fairest promise, who begin life upon our shores, inflated by the mountain winds, shined upon by all the stars of God, find the earth below not in unison with these, — but are hindered from action by the disgust which the principles on which business is managed inspire, and turn drudges, or die of disgust, — some of them suicides. What is the remedy? They did not yet see, and thousands of young men as hopeful now crowding to the barriers for the career, do not yet see, that, if the single man plant himself indomitably on his instincts, and there abide, the huge world will come round to him.”
When Emerson begins that quote, he conveys the message that, in adulthood, one cannot trust others, and afterwards, he goes on to say that people hate jobs. This makes the listener think: then why do people not quit their jobs? Finally, he arrives at his conclusion that if “you want to see,” you need to change. This deductive reasoning works as a syllogism, since he states one truth: that people do not like their jobs, and another truth: that unhappy people do not succeed, to end up with his final statement: that unless people enjoy what they are doing and do it for themselves, they will not succeed. Emerson relays the message that if one wants to succeed, one must change and not rely on others. Ultimately, one must make his