Compare and Contrast Natural Self

COMPARE AND CONTRAST NATURAL SELF

NATURAL SELF: What is the aboriginal Self, on which a universal reliance may be grounded? What is the nature and power of that science-baffling star, without parallax, without calculable elements, which shoots a ray of beauty even into trivial and impure actions, if the least mark of independence appear? The inquiry leads us to that source, at once the essence of genius, of virtue, and of life, which we call Spontaneity or Instinct. We denote this primary wisdom as Intuition, whilst all later teachings are tuitions. In that deep force, the last fact behind which analysis cannot go, all things find their common origin...But perception is not whimsical, but fatal. If I see a trait, my children will see it after me, and in course of time, all mankind...

For, the sense of being which in calm hours rises, we know not how, in the soul, is not diverse from things, from space, from light, from time, from man, but one with them, and proceeds obviously from the same source whence their life and being also proceed. We first share the life by which things exist, and afterwards see them as appearances in nature, and forget that we have shared their cause. Here is the fountain of action and of thought.

Here are the lungs of that inspiration which giveth man wisdom, and which cannot be denied

without impiety and atheism. We lie in the lap of immense intelligence, which makes us receivers of

its truth and organs of its activity. When we discern justice, when we discern truth, we do nothing

of ourselves, but allow a passage to its beams. If we ask whence this comes, if we seek to pry into

the soul that causes, all philosophy is at fault. Its presence or its absence is all we can affirm. Every

man discriminates between the voluntary acts of his mind, and his involuntary perceptions, and

knows that to his involuntary perceptions a perfect faith is due.

-Emerson's "Self Relaince" (1841)

#1 IN A NEW GOOGLE DOC TITLED "Your Name Natural Self" write two paragraphs that compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Wendell Berry's development of his natural self and William Faulkner’s development of Ike's natural self. All paragraphs will employ Emerson's definition of the "natural self" quoted above. "A" level papers will incorporate Ralph Emerson's concepts from "Nature" (1836) and "Self Reliance" (1841) in your analyses.

See Writing Guide #52 and #53 for help with compare and contrast.

OR

#2 WRITE TWO PARAGRAPHS ON THE ESSENTIAL "ENDS" / PURPOSES THAT NATURE SERVES

by analyzing at least two passages from Ralph Emerson's "Nature."

"A" level paragraphs will develop the concepts from the handout on Emerson's "Nature" and make connections to Emerson's "Self Reliance."

Sample Outline:

A. First Body Paragraph

1. Passage

a. context:

b. condense:

c. connect:

d. Emersonian concept:

B. Second Body Paragraph

1. Passage

a. context:

b. condense:

c. connect:

d. Emersonian concept:

e. Compare passages: "Similar to the way in which X ________________, Y ________________."

f. Whereas X contends that ___________________, Y contends that _______________.