浅析爱默生的论自助人生自主的源泉

　　Abstract
　　Emerson，RalphWaldoisanoutstandingAmericanwriterinthenineteenthcentury。HisworkSelfRelianceisanimportantandinfluentialworkwhichencouragesamantobeconfidentandindependent。ThroughtheanalysisandresearchofEmersonandhisworks，thethesisexploresfourmainideasinthework，includingTheConfidence，TheIndependence，ThePersonality，ShowingnoSympathytothePoor，ofwhichTheConfidenceisthecorepointinthisthesis。Basedontheresearchofthefourideas，thethesisdiscussestheenlightenmentsontoday’ssociety，includingtheenlightenmentsontheconfidentandoptimisticattitudestowardslife，thepromotionoffemale’sselfreliance，theinfluenceoninpiduals’successandacountry’sprosperity。
　　KeyWords
　　Selfreliance；Emerson；enlightenment
　　摘要
　　拉尔夫8226；华尔多8226；爱默生是美国十九世纪著名的作家，《论自助》是其极具影响力的一部作品，也是一部激励人们自信、独立的作品。论文从分析、研究爱默生及其作品出发，探索了作品中的四种主要思想，包括自信、独立、个性、拒绝对穷人的同情，其中，自信是论文的核心。在研究作品主要思想的基础上，论文探讨了作品的主要思想对当今社会的启迪和影响，包括对乐观自信生活态度的启迪、对女性自助思想的促进、对个人成功的影响及对国家繁荣与富强的影响。
　　关键词
　　爱默生；自助；启迪
　　Introduction
　　Emerson，RalphWaldowasoneofthemostoutstandingAmericanwritersinthe19thcentury；heexperiencedmuchinhiswholelife。HisSelfRelianceisaninfluentialworkwhichdeeplyattractsmanyreaders。BelieveinOneselfisthemainideaexpressedandanalyzedinthework。InSelfReliance，thereexistfourkindsofimportantthoughts。ThefirstkindofthoughtisTheConfidence。Emersonadvocatedthatamanmustshowhisopinionconfidentlyandbravelyinspiteofdifferentideas。TheIndependenceisthesecondkindofimportantthoughtwhichisexpressedinSelfReliance。Amanshouldkeephimselffirmlybutnotbeeasilyinfluencedbyenvironment。Thethirdkindofthoughtistokeeppersonality，whichiscloselyrelatedtotheconfidenceandtheindependence。FromEmerson’sopinion，amanmustkeephispersonalityandconformtohisownprinciples。ShowingnoSympathytothePooristhefourthkindofthoughtinthework。Itshowsthatwhythepoorarepoorismainlyduetotheirbackwardthinking。Showinghelptothiskindofpeoplemeansdoingharmtothem。AlltheseideasinEmerson’sSelfreliancehaveenlightenmentsontoday’ssociety。Theyhelppeopletakeconfidentandoptimisticattitudestowardslife。Theseimportantthoughtsenlightenthefemaletobeconfidentandstrivefortheirsocialstatus。Besides，theyarecrucialforinpiduals’success。Eachmanwhopossessesthethoughtsiseasytomakeprogressandachievesuccess。Moreover，acountry’sprosperityisestablishedonthebasisofconfidenceandindependence。
　　I。ABriefIntroductiontoEmersonandHisSelfReliance
　　A。Emerson，RalphWaldo
　　EmersoncollectedallhisspeechmaterialsandmadeabookcalledEssays，includingSelfreliance，Love，andFriendshipandsoon。Emerson’sEssaysspeakshighlyofthemanwhoshouldtrusttheirownsuggestion。Headvocatedthatamanshoulddevelopthenationalprideandopposedfollowingtheothers’saying。AlmostallhisspeechesmadeadeepinfluenceonAmerica’snationalcivilization。In1837，hepublishedafamousspeechwhichdeclaredthattheAmericanliteraturewasseparatedfromBritainliterature。Hewasalsothespokesmanoftranscendentalism。Emersonabandonedthethoughtwhichtakesgodasthecentre。Heraisedtheideathatthemancouldknowthetruthbyinstinct，sotosomeextent，themanisthegod。Thenhecriedoutthat‘BelieveinYourself’。Hisopinionreflectedtheadvancingspiritofcapitalismsociety。ThispositivespiritwascalledasAmericanreligionanditpushedthedevelopmentofnationalspiritofAmerica。HewastheclairvoyantofAmericanspiritandbelongedtoAmerica，Emerson’sthoughtsandworkslargelypromotedtheestablishmentanddevelopmentofAmericannationalspirit。
　　B。SelfReliance
　　Emerson’sworksdeeplyattractreaders，especiallySelfReliance，whichisfromEssays。Thisproseisfinishedaccordingtoaseriesofspeechmaterialsbetween1836and1837。SelfRelianceishissignificantworkwhichexpresseshisideaoftranscendentalism。BelieveinYourselfisthecorepointofSelfReliance。Emersonopposedallformsofimitationintheworks。Hethoughtthemanshouldbelievehewasexcellentatanytime。Therealmanshouldlearnhowtorejecttodriftwiththestream。Ifamanisafraidofpublicopinionorcompelledhimtodosomethingunchanged，hewillpossiblylosetheinnovativeabilitywhichleadshimtosuccess。Ifapersondoesn’twanttolethimorthesocietydown，hemustcomplywiththeprinciplesinhisinnerheart，yetthepeoplewhocomplywiththeauthority，traditionorcurrentsystemmeansbreakthisprinciple。TheideaswhichEmersonexpressedinhisprosearelargelydifferent。TheyagreedwiththeAmericanpeople’soptimisticspiritatthattime。Aboveall，hebelievedininpidualism，independenceandselfreliance。Hisworksisnoteasytobeunderstood。Hereconstructedthecommonliteratureimagesinwritingskillandendowedtheworkswithnewideas。Generally，thereadershaveacommonviewthathisideasarespecialandunique。
　　Nowadays，therearemanybooksaboutselfsupport。TheauthorsexpressaseriesofideasasEmersondid。Thedifferenceisthatthecommonbooksareeasiertobeunderstood。Theauthorsusesimplesentencesintheirworkssothatallreaderscaneasilyknowwhattheauthorsexpress。ButEmerson’sSelfrelianceisneededtoreadmanytimes。Hemainlyexpressedfourimportantideasinthisworks，includingTheConfidence，TheIndependence，ThePersonality，ShowingNoSympathytothePoor。TheconfidenceisacorepointwhichEmersonstressedinSelfReliance。Allmenshouldtrusttheirownopinionsinspiteofthedifferentideas。Emersonthoughtamanshouldtrusthimselffirmly。TheIndependenceisanothersubjectwhichSelfReliancefullyelaborates。Itexpressesthatamanshouldactindependentlybutnotalwaysreliesontheotherpeople。Besides，ShowingnoSympathytothePooragreeswiththeideaofselfsupport。Intheworks，Emersongavetheopinionthatthepoorarelackofadvancingideas。Theresultofsupportingthepooristodoharmtothem。Atlast，tobeaselfreliantperson，themanshouldkeephispersonality。Theseideasareimportantintoday’ssociety。Thisproseexertsmuchinfluenceonmanyordinarypeople。
　　II。TheAnalysisonEmerson’sThoughtsinSelfReliance
　　SelfRelianceisnotanaveragework。Itscontentisdifficultforreaderstounderstand。Emersonshowedmanyofhisopinionsaboutlifeinthework。ThemostimportantideasincludeTheConfidence，TheIndependence，ThePersonality，andShowingnoSympathytothePoor。Theseideasarepracticableandmeaningfulforthereader’slives。
　　A。TheConfidence
　　SelfRelianceisoneofEmerson’simportantworkswhichexpresshistranscendentalism。BelieveinOneselfisthecorepointinit。Intheworks，Emersonshowedhisopinionsabouttheconfidence。Hecriticizedallformsofimitationandopposedallselfabasedpeople。TheconfidenceisanevidentideawhichEmersongaveinSelfReliance。Hethoughtthattheconfidencewasaveryimportantvirtue。ThephilosophicalideawhichheexpressedinSelfReliancehaditsspecialpower。ItenlightenedmanypeopleandcateredtothespiritofoptimisminAmericaatthattime。
　　Emersonbelievedamanmusttrusthimselfandbehimself。Manyselfabasedpeoplecan’texpressthemselvesbravelyandareashamedoftheirpineideasjustbecausetheideasaretheirown。Emersonbelievedthatthemanshouldconcernhisownpointsofviewandkeepthemsteadfastly。Inhisopinion：Amanshouldlearntodetectandwatchthegleamoflightflashesacrosshismindfromwithin，morethanthelusterofthefirmamentofbardsandcages。Yethedismisseswithoutnoticehisthought，becauseitishis。（Emerson，P7，2005）Fromthissentence，itcanbeacquiredthatEmersongavesupportforexpressingone’sownideasloudlyandbravelyinspiteoftheothers’existence。Emerson’sopinionsenlightenamantokeephisoriginalsayinginthefaceofmixedvoices。Asaninpidualinsociety，amanshouldn’tsuspecthimself，orthesuspicionfromtheotherpeoplewillattackhimconstantly。Thepersonwhodoesn’tbelieveinhimselfwillneverwintheother’scredibility。InEmerson’sSelfReliance，Itisalittledifficulttounderstandthemeaning。However，TrustYourselfisexpressedclearlyandcanbeknownbyreaderseasily。Theauthorshowedtheideathatthemanshouldownthespiritofselfconfidenceandtrytobethetruehimself。Forexample，EmersonsaidinSelfreliance：Letusneverbowandapologizemore。Agreatmaniscomingtoeatatmyhouse，Idonotwishtopleasehim；Iwishthatheshouldwishtopleaseme。（Emerson，P20，2005）OnEmerson’ssaying，itisknownthathesupportedthemantobehimselfgenerouslyinspiteoftheotherpeople’ssocialstatus。Onceapersoncomestotheworld，heispossibletobethebestone。However，manypeoplearegenerallytimid，andtheyarenolongerupright，theyareafraidofsayingIthink，butonlyquotemotto。Asamatteroffact，EmersonencouragedthepeopletoexpressIthink，Iambravelyanddirectly。Thesewordsclearlyprovethespiritofselftrust。
　　Thereisapopularsayingthatifyouthinkyoucan，youcan。Theconfidenceisthefirststeptomakesuccess。AndEmersonshowedthevaluableideainhisworks。ItisbelievedthatthereadersaremoreconfidentaftertheyfinishedSelfreliance。
　　B。TheIndependence
　　JustasTheConfidence，TheIndependenceisalsoasignificantideawhichEmersonshowedintheworks。TheIndependenceiscloselyrelatedwiththespiritofselfreliance。TheauthormentionedTheIndependenceeverywhereintheworks。Emersonsupportedthemantobethetruehimselfindependently。
　　Independenceisanindispensablequalityforone’ssuccess。Emersonpointedoutthatthemanwithoutanyindependentideaisdifficulttoconducthimself。Therefore，itisverynecessarytoformthehabitofselfreliance。
　　C。ThePersonality
　　InSelfReliance，Emersonadvocatedthatamanshoulddoeverythingaccordingtohisownwill。Thisthoughtiscloselyrelatedwiththeideaofconfidence。Aconfidentmanistheonewhoalwayskeepshisownpersonality。ItisaveryimportantthoughtwhichEmersonexpressedintheworks。Itdoeshelpthereaderstobeconfident。
　　Asamateroffact，itistheman’sfaith，nottheenvironmentthatinfluencespeople’slives。Asuccessfulmanistheonewhodeeplytrustshisinnerpower。Heisneverinfluencedbytheenvironment。
　　D。ShowingnoSympathytothePoor
　　InSelfreliance，Emersonfundamentallyshowedtheideaofconfidenceandindependence。Besidestheseideas，heillustratedtheideaofShowingnosympathytothePoor。Thispointofviewagreeswiththeconfidenceandindependence。Emersonindirectlyshowedthereasonwhythemanispoorandwhynosympathyshouldbeshowedtothepoor。
　　Thepoorconditionisnotterrible，butthepoormindisaveryseriousproblem。Themanshouldneverhelpthepoorwithmoney，butgivethematooltoproducewealthbythemselves，orteachthemtobeindependentandchallengeable。Emerson’sopinionstowardsthepoorhavegiventhereadersameaningfulenlightenment。
　　IIISelfReliance’sEnlightenmentonToday’sSociety
　　SelfReliancegivesreadersmuchhelpincopingwiththeirlives。Itexertsenlightenmentonreaderstobeconfidentandindependent。Itteachesmantotakeadvancingattitudestowardslife。Besides，theseideasenlightenfemale’slife。Itisalsoofgreathelpforinpiduals’progressandacountry’sdevelopment。
　　A。AttitudestowardsLife
　　SelfRelianceprofoundlyinspiresamantostrengthenhisselfconfidence。Ayoungmansaidinaforum：Iftheyareafraidofother’sdifferentsuggestionandgiveuptheirownthinking，thenthat’slosingthemselves。Nomatterwhattheydo，theyshouldkeepdefinitepointofviewandindependentthinking。（Smear，P49，2002）。Hefurtherexplainedthateveryone’sideaisdifferent，noonecanmaketheothers’thesamewithhehimself，sojustthinkabouttheobjectionbutneglecttheirrelevantdiscussion。Whenthemanfinisheshisaim，allvoiceshavestoppedwithit。Eachmanshouldhavehisvirtueintackingwithallproblems。
　　Theattitudestowardslifehavetwochoices。Oneistodieandtheotheristolive。Emerson’sSelfRelianceteachesthereaderstofollowtheirownthoughtsandtakeoptimisticattitudestowardslife。Everythinghastwosides，themostimportantisthatwhichsidethemanchooses。Amanshouldbeconfidenteveryday，andtheneachdayisbeautifulandwithoutworry。Emersonshowedinhisworksthateachmanshouldbeindependenttocopewithhisproblems，butnotalwaysseekforassistance。Themancanlearnfromtheotherpeople，butheshouldmakedecisionsbyhimself。Eachsuccessfulmanhashisownpersonalitysothatheiseasytoachievehisdreams。Onceapersoncatchesthefundamentalideaofselfindependenceandselfconfidence，hecantellwhichisrightorwrongnomatterhowcomplicatedtheinterpersonalrelationis。Thenheislikelytorejecttoparrot。
　　B。TheFemale’sSelfReliance
　　Itisknownthatmanandwomanarebornofinequalityinhumanhistory。Nomatterhowsuccessfulthewomen’sliberationis，thisbiaswillforeveroccupypeople’sminds。Withthedevelopmentofsociety，somefemalepeoplewithspiritsofselfsupportfiercelyobjectthisthought。Womenhavetheirownforteinmosttimewhilethemendon’thave。Itisacceptedthatwomen’ssocialstatusishighlyimproved。Accordingtotheinvestigation，thefemaleofficersormanagersarehighlyincreasedandaccountalargeproportionamongthetotal。Besidesthis，mostwomenacceptmoreadvancededucationthanthemale。However，theprejudiceoriginatedfromthehistoryseemsnevertodisappearfrompeople’sminds。Somewomenarestillsufferingfromtheprejudiceinsuchadevelopedsociety。Inmodernsociety，thewomenpossesssomanysocialprotocols。Forinstance，thereisapopularsayingthatLadiesFirst，andthenationallawalsosafeguardsthefemale’srightsandinterests。Someonethinksthemeaningimpliedinthisphenomenonisthatthesocietytakeswomenastheweak，forthepeoplewhoneedprotectionaretosomeextentweakerthanthosewhocandealwithproblemsbythemselves。
　　However，althoughasmallpartofgirlscan’tliveontheirown，mostwomenareawareofthecrisis，andmostofthemcandealwiththeirlivescompletelyandindependently。OnEmerson’sviews，whetheramanorwomanis，hesheshoulddependonthemselvesexceptthegeneralassistancefromeachother。Asanimportantpartinhumanbeing，womenshouldhavetheirownunderstanding，theirowncareersandworlds。Somegirlswhoseekfortuneorreliancefrommenareseverelylookeddownuponbysociety。Thosewomenseemtoleadaperfectlife，buttheirinnerheartsaretoovoid。Theyacknowledgethattheyarecorruptedandforsakenbysociety。Whereas，theyarereluctanttoescapefromthiscorruptedlivingcircleoncetheyabandonthemselvestoit。Moreover，theyoftensearchprotection，responsibilityfrommen。Butmostwomenareadvancinginmind。Itseemsthatwomentakemoreandmoresignificantrolesinafamily，eveninthesociety。Mostwomenoftensupportfortheirfamilieswhichtestifiestheirhighability。
　　FromEmerson’sideasinSelfReliance，allwomenshouldowntheselfrelianceofidea，ofeconomy，andofability。Headvocatedthewomentostriveforthesocialstatusandmakecontributionstothesociety。
　　C。TheInfluenceonInpiduals
　　Tobeaselfindependentpersoncanabsolutelychangeone’shumblelifeeveninthebackwardsociety。Generally，thepoorpeopleareincliningtobeselfreliantforcoercionoflife。Itiswellknownthattherichestman，LiJiacheng，isthebusinesstycooninHongKong。Itisanevidentexamplethatthepoormanisambitiousandselfimprovingsothathecanbecomeanuncommonpersoninlatertime。AnotherfamouspersonistheheadofboardofMengNiuenterprise，NiuGengsheng。Hewassoldoutfor50Yuanwhenhewasininfancynotbecausehisparentsabandonedhimbutbecausetheycouldn’traisehim。Insuchkindoflivingcondition，hestudiedandworkedhardtobeasuccessfulman。Allmenareintelligentandbrave，butnotallmencanmakesuccess。Somepeopleoftencomplainaboutdestiny。Thewisethinkthatsuccessoriginatesfromone’sspirit。Thegeniusisonlybutcommonpeoplewithknowledgeandvirtue。HelenKeller，theeverlastingprideofhumanbeing，wasdeprivedofbothsightandhearingaftertheterribleillnessinthe19thmonthaftershewasborn。However，shewasnotdefeatedbydisastrouslifewhichhappenedtoherinheryoungage。Noonecanimaginehowadumbanddeafgirltransformedherlifethoroughlybyherpersistenthardworkandperseveringspirit，yetHelenKellerdidit。Heradversityandgreatachievementsstimulatesthecommonpeopletoworkhardandtobeselfsupported。Helen’sremarkablesuccesswaspartlyduetotheassistance，MissSullivanwhoaccompaniedherinthewholelife，butlargelyduetoherownpersistentanddauntlessfaith。Shelearnedseverallanguagesinherlifeandcreatedmiraclesonebyone。TheverydifficultieswhichcannotbedonebycommonpeoplewerebrokenthroughbyHelenKeller。Hernamewassetasasymbolizationofpersistentwill。Asthetremendousspiritualpower，herlegendarylifedeeplyencouragesthepeopletoconquerthemisfortune。MarkTwainsaid：HelenKellerwasthefocusofAmericain19thcentury。Theseexamplesprovethatindependenceandselfsupportcanchangeone’slifethoroughly。
　　ThevaluableideaswhichEmersonshowedinSelfRelianceareagreathelpforinpiduals’development。Theseideasmakeeachonetobeconfidentandindependent。Manypeople’ssuccessisfundamentallyduetothesetwoqualities。
　　D。TheInfluenceonCountries
　　Asthestrongestcountryintheworld，Americahasitsowninpidualities。Thiscountryonlyenjoysahistoryof200years。IncomparisonwiththeotherEuropeancountries，itisfullofinnovationandhasitsownpersonality。Thetechnology，weapons，comprehensivestrengtharealwaysinthefirstplace。TheAmericasarerealistic。MoneyisvitalintheirmindssothatallAmericansareuptotheirearsforwork。Moneycanbeusedforfame，socialstatus，evenpresidencyinthiscountry。Theyaredemocratic，liberal，outspokenandcompetitive。TaketheAmericanchildrenforexample。Theycanworktosupportthemselveswhentheyareyoungandalsocopewiththeirproblemsbythemselveswithoutanyhelpfromparents。AllAmericanshaveformedthesehabitsfromearlytimesothattheircountryisthebestselfimprovementamongallcountries。
　　Almosteverypersonbelievesthecountryshouldsupportthemwiththeperfectsystemsothattheycanimprovetheirlivingconditions，buttheideasinSelfReliancesuggestthatthehighlifeandwellbeingcanonlybeacquiredthroughaman’sownefforts。Thepeopleoftentakeahighexpectationtowardsthefunctionoflaws。Ifthelawsworkwell，thentheycaninsurepeopletoenjoytheirownachievementsandreduceinpidualsacrifices。However，thebeststrictlawcannotchangethesluggishpersonstoindustriouspersonsorthepoortotherich。Thesechangescanbeachievedonlythroughone’sownconductsandactivities。Thehistoryprovedthatthepowerofcountryisnotdecidedbysocialsystembutbypeople’squalitiesandpersonalities。
　　ThespiritofSelfIndependenceinEmerson’sSelfReliancepromotesacountry’sadvancement。Thestrongandprosperouscountryismadeupofconfidentandindependentinpiduals。SelfReliance’senlightenmenteffectivelyhelpstheprogressofsociety。
　　Conclusion
　　Fromabove，TheConfidenceisthebasicthoughtandthecorepointinEmerson’sSelfReliance。Inthework，TheIndependenceandThePersonalityaremainideas。‘ShowingnoSympathytothePoorrepresentsTheConfidenceandTheIndependence。Thesefourideaslargelyenlightenmanypeopletoformthehabitsofselfindependence。Thespiritofselfrelianceisthefoundationstoneofeveryone’ssuccess。What’smore，itplaysanimportantroleinacountry’sprosperity。Thespiritofselfreliancegreatlyhelpstheprogressofsociety。TherewillbemoreandmorereaderstoresearchandstudySelfRelianceandmoreandmorepeoplewouldpossesstheideaofselfrelianceinfuture。
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