Question

Based on the essay’s central ideas, what is Emerson trying to convince the reader to think or do?
Check all of the boxes that apply.

go out into nature and commune with the divine

experience real solitude to truly perceive nature

take walks rarely in order not to tire of nature

realize that individuals are meant to learn from nature and transcend it

view nature on sunny days and avoid it on overcast days

think of nature as a symbol of the divine

Answer 1

Checked (apply)
- go out into nature and commune with the divine — Emerson urges direct, personal communion with nature as a way to encounter the spiritual/Over-Soul.
- experience real solitude to truly perceive nature — he emphasizes solitude (the “transparent eyeball”) as necessary for deep perception and self-discovery.
- realize that individuals are meant to learn from nature and transcend it — nature is a teacher and medium through which the individual attains higher spiritual insight (transcendence).
- think of nature as a symbol of the divine — Emerson repeatedly treats natural objects as signs or language pointing to spiritual truths.

Unchecked (do not apply)
- take walks rarely in order not to tire of nature — Emerson promotes regular, sincere engagement with nature, not occasional avoidance.
- view nature on sunny days and avoid it on overcast days — he values all aspects/moods of nature as revealing; he does not limit appreciation to fair weather.