Reading the Selection 6 Contents Click a hyperlink to go to the corresponding content area. Reading...

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Reading the Selection

Concord Hymn

from Nature

from Self-Reliance

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• To gain insight into the ideas of Transcendentalism by reading a poem and two essays by Emerson

• To identify and understand metonymy and figurative language

• To write an analytical essay on Emerson’s ideas about human nature

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in 1803 and died in 1882.

Click the Speaker button to hearmore about Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The Time and PlaceOn July 4, 1837, a monument was unveiled in Concord, Massachusetts. There, in 1775, the American Minutemen had fought against the British in one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War. At the request of the Monument Committee, Emerson wrote the words to “Concord Hymn,” which was sung at the memorial ceremony.

BACKGROUND


Literary InfluencesEmerson was involved in the nineteenth-century philosophical and literary movement known as Transcendentalism, which stemmed from the Romantic movement in art, literature, and music. Transcendentalists believed in the unity of all creation and that human nature contained something that transcended, or went beyond, ordinary experience.

BACKGROUND (cont.)


VOCABULARY PREVIEW


perpetual: (adj) lasting forever; eternal; p. 242

integrate: (v) to bring all parts together into a whole; p. 242

decorum: (n) conformity to the approved standards of good taste; p. 243

perennial: (adj) continuing year after year; enduring; p. 243

blithe: (adj) lighthearted and carefree; cheerful;p. 243

occult: (adj) beyond human understanding;mysterious; p. 243

VOCABULARY PREVIEW (cont.)


admonition: (n) a warning; cautionary advice; p. 245

latent: (adj) present but not evident; hidden;p. 245

sage: (n) a person of profound wisdom andjudgment; p. 245

manifest: (adj) apparent to the eye or the mind; evident; obvious; p. 246

benefactor: (n) one who gives help or financial aid;p. 246

integrity: (n) moral uprightness; honesty;p. 247

FOCUS ACTIVITY


FreewriteTake a few minutes to freewrite about the benefits of remembering the details of important events both in your own history and in the nation’s history.

What can you learn from history–the history of your own life, of your community, and of your country? How does history help you deal with the present and the future?

Setting a PurposeRead to learn how one writer helps others remember an historic event of great importance.

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A B

A Active Reading

ConnectHow was the shot referred to in line 4 “heard round the world”?

Other European powers besides England, notably France, feared similar external and internal upheavals. The American Revolution had global implications.

Literary ElementsB

Figurative Language: ApostropheThe direct address of an object or abstraction is a formal literary device called an apostrophe.

Does it seem appropriate in this poem?

Do you agree?


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A B C

A Active Reading

QuestionRead the first paragraph of the story.

What does Emerson mean by his first sentence?

According to Emerson, true solitude is a transcendent state achieved through being in nature.

Critical ThinkingB

ElaboratingRead the paragraph beginning on page 242 and continuing on page 243. Think about sentence 4.

How does it foreshadow the paragraph development?


Emerson speaks of seeing nature with the eye and the heart of a child, a theme developed throughout the paragraph in such language as “a man casts off his years … and … is always a child.”

Active ReadingC

QuestionIs it possible to be “glad to the brink of fear?”

Possible answer: Sometimes one can be so happy that it is frightening–either because one fears to lose the happiness or because the feeling is new and frightening.


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A B C D

A Active Reading

ConnectBefore you begin reading, define “self-reliance.”

Do you consider yourself self-reliant? What qualities does someone who is self-reliant possess?

Active ReadingB

QuestionWhy does Emerson believe it is shameful to take “our own opinion from another?”

Doing so prevents self-reliance.


Author’s CraftC

Parallel StructureA celebrated Unitarian minister, Emerson uses a rhetorical device common to sermons and formal writing: parallel structure.

Identify the parallel elements in the first sentence of the first full paragraph on page 246.

The series of “that” clauses exemplify parallelism.


Find further examples of parallelism.

Another example is the compound -ing verbs in the first paragraph of the second column on page 246.

Critical ThinkingD

Logical ReasoningHow has Emerson prepared the reader for the statement “Trust thyself” on page 246?

After urging readers to think for themselves, Emerson says that they can do so if they are brave enough.


Personal ResponseAnalyzing LiteratureLiterary Elements

Personal ResponseAnalyzing Literature

Personal ResponseAnalyzing LiteratureLiterary ElementsLiterature & WritingSkill Minilessons

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Responding to Literature

PERSONAL RESPONSEWhat were your reactions to “Concord Hymn”? Note them in your journal.

What did the farmers do at the bridge in Concord? What does the speaker imply about the impact of their activities?

They fired the first shots of the American Revolution, which had worldwide impact.

RECALL AND INTERPRET



The participants are dead; the bridge has been washed out.

RECALL AND INTERPRETWhere are the battle’s participants now? What has happened to the bridge?

What are people doing on the day the poem is sung? According to the speaker, what purpose will be served by what they are doing?


They are erecting a memorial to remind posterity of what their forefathers did.



He asks the Spirit to bid time and nature to spare the memorial from erosion so that it will last.

RECALL AND INTERPRETWhat does the speaker ask in the last stanza? In your opinion, why does he ask this?

A hymn is a song of praise or thanksgiving. What do you think Emerson is praising or being thankful for in this poem? Cite details from the poem to support your response.


He praises the spirit and actions of our ancestors, which have left a legacy of freedom to us.


EVALUATE AND CONNECT


Look at the words Emerson used, the way he arranged them, and the poem’s rhythm pattern. Based on these factors, how would you describe the mood created in the poem? In your opinion, does the mood fit the message of the poem? Why or why not?

The first two stanzas’ hard end rhymes fit the content of battle and its aftermath and establish a triumphant mood. The softer end rhymes of the final stanzas suggest gratitude. Emerson uses rhythm and assonance to accentuate important words. The strong rhythm is both militant and hymnlike.

EVALUATE AND CONNECTWhat do you think are the advantages of memorializing an important person or historic event in a song or poem? What contemporary songs do you know that pay tribute to people or significant events?



Emerson wrote about an important event in U.S. history. What historic event would you choose to commemorate? Explain your choice.

Significant events might include a major battle, the Civil Rights movement, or the fight for woman suffrage.

• Emerson often uses a type of figurative language called metonymy.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

• Metonymy is the use of one word to stand for a related term. When Emerson writes that the sun shines into a child’s heart, he uses heart to stand for deep emotions.

• In “Concord Hymn,” he uses metonymy when he refers to “the shot heard round the world.” He is actually referring to the entire battle, not just one bullet.


LITERARY ELEMENTS


In “Concord Hymn,” when Emerson writes that “like our sires our sons are gone,” what does he mean? How else could he have said this? “Sires” are ancestors, and “sons” are descendants. He could have said “When we are dead.”

LITERARY ELEMENTS


What does Emerson mean by the word “children” in the last stanza? Do you think the meaning would change if a freeman had no children? Why or why not?

He means people born long after this event. It figuratively means posterity, not actual children.

PERSONAL RESPONSEWhich of Emerson’s ideas most impressed you? Explain.

According to Emerson, why should people look at the stars if they wish to be alone? How would people respond if the stars appeared only once in a thousand years? What does this suggest about Emerson’s view of human nature?

The stars’ rays “separate” them from the tangible world. People might think that the sublime is always transient and rare. Emerson emphasizes the permanence of human nature and how we take it for granted.



In Emerson’s view, how do adults and children differ in the way they view nature? What does Emerson suggest accounts for this difference?


Adults see with the eye, children with both eye and heart; children’s “inward and outward senses” are still working in conjunction.


How do changing seasons affect lovers of nature? Why might Emerson have felt exhilarated by crossing a park on a snowy evening?


The changes provide nature lovers with new delights and moods. Emerson takes delight in all the different moods of nature.


What scenes in nature does Emerson describe? What effect does being in nature have on Emerson? What conclusions does he draw from this?


Emerson describes looking at stars, reveling in a horizon, walking in winter snow in town, and recapturing youth in fields and wooded wilderness. In nature he feels young and alive. Nature can make one “part or parcel of God.”


In your opinion, what does Emerson mean when he states, “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit”? Do you agree with him? Explain.


Possible answer: Emerson means that moods affect the way that people perceive nature.


EVALUATE AND CONNECTDo you consider yourself to be one of the people who can truly see nature as Emerson describes? Explain your answer.



What, do you think, is the difference between the meaning Emerson finds in nature and the meaning a scientist finds?

Emerson might say that scientists have lost the “spirit of infancy” and see only with their heads.



How do you think people today can connect with nature in a meaningful way, even if they live in a city? What benefits might they receive?

Possible answer: City dwellers may find little natural vistas within the city or take trips into the countryside. Such natural moments might relieve the stress of modern city life.

PERSONAL RESPONSEDo you agree with Emerson’s views about the value of nonconformity? Share your opinions with your class.

Genius is believing that what is true for you is “true for all.”

RECALL

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INTERPRET

According to Emerson, what is genius?

The benefits are independence and self-satisfaction.

In Emerson’s view, what are the benefits of genius?


People must trust their instincts.

RECALL

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the next question.INTERPRET

What is the lesson Emerson would have people learn from great works of art?

He values the iconoclast who dares to challenge orthodoxy.

What do you think Emerson’s references to art say about his values and his view of human thought?


People should approach work with willingness, confidence, and the determination to do their best.

RECALL


In what way, according to Emerson, should a person approach his or her work?

Possible answer: Emerson is not specific, but he is discussing intellectual and spiritual activity and the way one leads one’s life.

What kind of “work” do you think Emerson is describing? Explain.


Society is in a conspiracy that demands conformity. Emerson urges nonconformity.

RECALL


How does Emerson describe society? What approach to society does Emerson say a person must strive for?

Requiring conformity, society establishes norms of thought and behavior and penalizes those diverging from them.

How does society affect what people value?


His main concern is what he alone must do. Great men maintain the independence of solitude, especially in a crowd.

RECALL


What does Emerson say is his main concern? According to Emerson, who is a great man?

To maintain integrity, people must find the confidence to depart from norms. Emerson says people become great by acting according to their consciences.

How do you think a person can become “great” according to Emerson’s view? Give examples.



Theme Connections In your opinion, how might people react if Emerson’s essay were published today? What insights might they gain from reading the essay?

Possible answers: • Today’s society demands less

conformity; therefore, Emerson’s essay would be well received.

• Conformity still exists. One insight is that today’s nonconformity is more style than substance.



Under what circumstances might conformity be wise? When might it be foolish?

In legal or professional situations, conformity to health and safety standards could be considered important.

EVALUATE AND CONNECTDescribe how people today might show self-reliance. What roles might self-reliant people play in society today?



What parts of Emerson’s essay do you find most persuasive? What techniques does Emerson use to make these parts effective?

Possible answer: Emerson uses a variety of techniques: among them figurative language, examples, and aphorisms.

EVALUATE AND CONNECTDo you think it’s possible for people to live in society the way Emerson recommends? Why or why not?

• Figurative language is language that conveys ideas beyond what the words literally mean.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

• For example, Emerson says that a person “should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within.” The gleam of light that Emerson writes about refers to a person’s ideas.

• Emerson uses figurative language to help us understand an abstract thought.

• Figurative language can also make commonplace ideas fresh and vivid.


LITERARY ELEMENTS


When Emerson writes, “no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till,” what do you think he means?

Possible answer: No person can succeed unless he or she uses the talents and insights given to him or her.

LITERARY ELEMENTS


Find at least three other examples of figurative language in “Self-Reliance.” Tell how each image helps explain an idea or makes it concrete.

Possible answers: • “the soul hears an admonition”

(personification)• “cry of voices” (metonymy)• “sculpture in the memory” (metaphor)

Understanding Emerson’s Message

What value does Emerson place on human ideas? How does he view the connection between nature and people? Write a brief analysis of Emerson’s ideas about human nature, using details from “Nature” and “Self-Reliance.”

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Practice: Write a definition for each word or phrase below. Include the meaning of the prefix com- in each definition. Feel free to consult a dictionary.1. collaborate

meaning: to work together

2. committeemeaning: a group that jointly performs certain duties

3. colleaguemeaning: a person one works with

4. correspondsmeaning: is in comformity

noun

noun noun

adjective

adverb

metonymy– represents a river or stream

metonymy– describes actions

metonymy– represents ancestors

metonymy– represents the monument

Ignorance and superstition are referred to as chaos and darkness.

Society is compared to a “joint-stock company,” money or dividends to “bread.”

An image or picture in the memory is compared to a “sculpture”

Descriptive Writing:Travel Article

This feature is found on pages 308–311 of your textbook.

Travel is certainly one way to gain insight. You might even enjoy visiting the setting of a favorite literature selection. Many of the writers in this theme wrote about real places around the United States and the world. Now you will describe a real place. Follow the process on these pages to write your own travel article. Your challenge is to create a verbal snapshot of a location that will make your readers want to go there.

Click a hyperlink to explore that step of the writing process:

Prewriting

Drafting

Revising

Editing/Proofreading

Publishing/Presenting

Reflecting


This feature is found on pages 308–311 of your textbook.

• List places you might write about. – Ideas can come from your experiences, magazines, encyclopedias, or any source that is helpful. – You might choose and research a place from one of the selections, such as Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, where Thoreau wrote Walden. – Next to each location, write some of its highlights.

Prewriting: Explore Locations

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the information.This feature is found on pages 308–311 of your textbook.


• Choose the place on your list that you would most like to explore.

Prewriting: Choose One Place


• What attracts you to this place? • Put your thoughts on paper. • To get more information, interview someone who has been there recently and study photographs. • Note facts and details that make the place remarkable.


Prewriting: Consider Your Audienceand Purpose


• Who will read your travel article? • You might send it to a company that publishes travel guides or magazines, post it on an Internet chat site for travel and vacations, create a travel brochure to send to

the chamber of commerce closest to your destination, or just share your work with other students. • Whoever your audience is, remember that your purpose is to make readers want to visit the place. Choose specific words and a writing style that will persuade your

readers and bring the travel location to life.


Prewriting: Organize Your Ideas

– Order of impression: Presenting details in the order in which they are noticed creates a ”you are there” feeling. – Order of importance: Starting or ending with the most important detail helps the writer emphasize what is

important. – Spatial order: Arranging details according to location helps the reader travel through the setting.

• Review your notes. Use a highlighter or colored pen to mark main features that will appeal to your audience. Circle the best supporting details for each feature. Then organize your information by using one of the models below.



Drafting: Get Ready to Write


• Build your draft around your model for organizing ideas.

• As you begin to write, think of yourself as a camera with a zoom lens.

• Zoom in on one striking object or feature.

• Pull back slowly, letting your lens range over a wider and wider area until you take in the whole picture.


Drafting: Draft Tour Description

• Stick to the overall impression, but remain open to any vivid details that will engage your audience.

• End with a strong image. Leave readers eager to see the place for themselves.

• Let your ideas and words flow.



Revising: Take a Fresh Look


• Do you show readers what the place is like, or do you just tell about it? • Every detail should appeal to one of the five senses or help create an image in your reader’s mind. • Add transitions to help your writing flow smoothly. • Then review your work, using the Questions for Revising on the next slide.

• Take a break from your description; then pick it up again and imagine you are reading it for the first time.



How might the order of supporting details be more effective? Are there enough vivid details to bring the location to life for the reader? Which details could be more lively? Where could you use more precise words? How well does the writing express your own enthusiasm for the location? Does the ending make readers want to visit the place?

Is the opening attention-getting?

Revising: Questions for Revising


Revising: Let a Friend Read Your Description

• Have your friend answer the Questions for Revising, and discuss with your friend ideas for improving and presenting your work. • For example, you could add a sidebar–a short article that accompanies a major story–that tells readers how to get to the place.

• Invite a friend to read your description.



Editing/Proofreading

• Use the Proofreading Checklist on the inside back cover of your textbook.

• When your description is as vivid as you can make it, proofread for errors in grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling.



• The format of your description depends on your intended audience.

Publishing/Presenting


• If you write an article for the travel section of a newspaper, send a computer printout along with your own illustrations, photographs, maps, or sidebars. • If you create a brochure for an office of tourism, you might design a layout with space for headings, text, and images. • If you read your description to a group, consider adding poster-size images, appropriate music, a diorama, or even a T-shirt.


• Think about your experience in writing a description. Answer questions such as the following in your journal.

Reflecting

• Which part of the writing project was the most challenging? the most fun? • Set goals for your next piece of writing. • Given what you have learned about drafting and revising a description, how will you approach your next assignment differently?



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