English Final Exam Flashcards
(246 cards)
WW What is valid according to the narrator?
Sense/Emotion just as necessary as analytics
WW What is the movement that Whitman does
Passive – > active and wandering allows for experience
WW He acknowledges that the astronomer is smart, but
Learning comes from within
WW How does this relate to Huck Finn
The other is just as valid
Why does Whitman use free verse
Goes back to the idea of freedom
In the frontier , Whitman is
Better understood
WW complete knowledge of self comes
From experience, not using other signifiers
How are we repeating Emerson’s ideals?
The idea we are different and superior to Europe
What defined Emerson’s philosophy?
NATURE
What was Emerson’s work used for?
Cultural independence from Europe
Why Emerson matters
Capitalizes Murican ideology during 19th century, dominant, unique, individualism
What does transcendentalism establish?
Study of the sublime, find it in nature/experience, individual basis
What themes does transcendentalism establish?
The whole, democratic essence- anybody can do it, just because you can’t see it does not mean it’s true, power of individual, being awe struck
Emerson self reliance
Next few flashcards
What does in the woods is perpetual youth mean?
Nature allows one to feel a certain appreciation that we can never get tired of. Never age when close to nature
What does I am a transparent eyeball, I am nothing, I see everything
Goes with transcendentalist idea that he has found the whole truth by nature, I am a part of God, find something more dear in nature than in society
What is the reasoning in I am a part of God
I am a natural being, nature is divine, therefore I’m divine
Where can we only perceive
From oneself man > men
To be your man, think
And act for yourself is genius. Everyone can be a genius
What are the flaws in transcendentalism?
Cannot reject exterior influences b/c it presupposes/acknowledges influence, CHAOS
Why are infants genius according to Emerson
They conform to nobody, only self reliance, do not rely on others for their thinking, makes other conform to him, infant is heard, no care for material (appearance)
Validity of arguments?
Not Really, infants will eventually not be infants, dependent on everything else rather than thought, have to be regulated to be a proper member of society
Why are virtues dismissed by Emerson?
Virtues are restricting, prohibit individual action
Validity of the virtues?m
Why can’t I be virtuous and self reliant? Virtues can help with self improvement