Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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How does the poet's nature differ from that of a woodcutter or property owner?
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The poet sees nature as a whole. The woodcutter and property owner see what they can gain from nature. The woodcutter and property owner see their share of nature.
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How do people's views of nature change depending upon their circumstances?
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Age and mood affect one's experiences with nature.
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According to Emerson, what is a \"lover of nature?\" Would you consider yourself to be a lover of nature? Why?
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A lover of nature is a person whose inner and outer senses are still aligned, who remains young at heart and who feels the necessity of communicating with nature on a daily basis.
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How does looking into a star-filled, transparent sky affect one's outlook?
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It makes one feel awe and perhaps optimism.
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How can admonishing remark to slow down make someone notice nature's beauty?
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It can cause one to stop and look around.
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How can appreciating nature integrate one's fragmented thoughts?
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Can help a person view his or her thoughts as a whole.
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Can one possess great egotism and still have a blithe spirit?
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No, a person who is happy and carefree would not be self-involved.
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What does Emerson mean by his statement that he is \"not solitary when he reads and writes, though nobody is with me\"?
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He is communicating with the author of his audience.
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Do you believe that \"few adult persons can see nature\"? Explain
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Some adults lose a sense of wonder at the world, whereas others keep a child-like innocence.
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What is the implicit message about city life in\" in the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in streets or villages\"?
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He implied that nature reflects human nature; towns do not.
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Emerson writes that in the company of nature he becomes a \"transparent eyeball.\" Describe the unusual image in your own words. How does it contribute to the essay's main idea?
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The clear eyeball sees without interpreting, connecting inward and outward senses. Images and strength to Emerson's ideas.
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Two examples of personification-giving an object or animal human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes- explain their effectiveness.
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In the first paragraph, the stars smile. In the last, the plants nod and wave. These examples show Emerson's feelings of nature and benevolence.
