Emerson

What is Emerson’s overall purpose in his essay?

• to argue that people’s feelings about nature are more important than nature itself

• to defend the idea that only children can see nature as it really is

• to explain why insight is needed to fully appreciate nature

• to consider whether it is foolish for humans to believe they can comprehend nature

What does Emerson mean when he says: " In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough"?

• Man can shed his sordid past like a snake shedding its skin

• Man can become trapped in nature if he is too engrossed with it.

• Nature can make people feel younger (shedding years like a snake shedding skin)

• Man can age a lot in nature (like snakes shed skin as time goes on)

What does Emerson mean when he says that people can own land but not the landscape?

• People need to appreciate their land more

• People own their homes and land in titles and deeds, but they'll never own the beauty such as sunsets and bird songs.

• People tend to become greedy and will mar the landscape with their homes and farms.

• Landowners will fight over land since titles back then were not as sophisticated as homeowner titles today.

Explain what Emerson means when he says: "The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible."

• The stars are to be feared since falling stars are meteorites that could cause a lot of damage.

• People admire/ respect the stars because they are something to be admired from afar.

• People falsely admire stars even though a lot of stars are dead symbolizing useless hopes.

• People often look to the stars because they are seen as objects of beauty.

American Romantic writers rejected rationalism (the Enlightenment or Age of Reason) because they believed that-

• logic is dumb

• intuition and imagination yield greater truths

• scientific thinking wasn't fully developed

• popularity as a poet was important.

Emerson says nature wears the colors of ... 

• autumn 

• man's spirit 

• childhood 

• vegetables 

In the woods Emerson finds ... 

• lots of fish & game 

• trees one can talk to 

• a peaceful place to write 

• love & the joy of youth 

In “Nature,” what element of nature does Emerson find particularly effective in inspiring deep respect and a sense of solitude?

• the stars

• the flowers

• the woodlands

• the mountains

According to Nature, what does Emerson say that people regain when they enter the natural world?

• questions and answers

• reason and faith

• mosquito bites and heat rash

• hope and security

In Nature, what does Emerson say is the greatest delight that nature gives?

• the hidden relationship between humanity and nature

• the immediate answers to all the questions we could ever have

• the happiness that comes from being loved

• dandelions and grass between your toes