Paragraph 16: Heroism requires us to face the disagreeable circumstances of life.

Where in this essay have you already found this doctrine stated and illustrated? Give names of heroes who illustrate Emerson's last sentence in this paragraph.

Paragraphs 17-19: There is opportunity to cultivate heroism in every-day life.

This essay was published in 1841. What opportunity had an American then to be heroic? What opportunity has he now? Do you read of any heroes in the daily papers? Do you think that the past offered greater opportunities than the present offers?

Write a short paper on A Hero or A Heroine. You may choose a historical character whom you admire, or a person from your own acquaintance, or you may sketch an ideal character for some field of activity in your own generation. But discuss the character in such a way as to make prominent the heroic qualities.

CHARACTER

Paragraph 1: Character defined.

Find the sentence in which Emerson defines character; explain what he means by "directly," "without means." Have you called this force by some other name than character? Have you ever met persons that were greater than their words or works? Socrates and Joan of Arc claimed to be guided by a "familiar," or "genius," or spirit. Give examples of your own to show the difference that existed between Hercules and Theseus.

Paragraph 2: Character is needed in the political world. Give examples of men in the political world who have "character;" examples of those who have it not. What do

you imagine a man of character doing in office? How does the country feel toward such men?

Paragraph 3: Character counts in the commercial world. What more than honesty is intended here? Think over the list of "Captains of Industry": do they seem to you "born to succeed"?

Paragraph 4: A man of character masters other men. Illustrate this statement by examples from your reading or observation.

Paragraph 5: Truth is the basis of character.

What is meant here by "Truth"? Compare Heroism, paragraph 13. Have you found truth and justice as powerful among men as Emerson says they are?

Paragraph 6: Character makes a man independent of externals of circumstances, environment, fear, etc.

Does the fact stated in the first sentence naturally follow that discussed in paragraph 5? Try yourself by the tests Emerson mentions in this paragraph; do you meet them all?

Paragraph 7: A man of character is a non-conformist.

Is this discussion a natural consequence of that in paragraph 6? Observe "is" in the second sentence. Is Emerson in this paragraph advising us to be peculiar, or rude?

Paragraphs 8, 9: What we can do depends, not on our ambition, but on what we are.

Emerson illustrates this statement from his reading and observation. Add illustrations from your experience.

Paragraph 10: A man of character grows.

Do you observe growth in the persons of forcible personality whom you know? Could you be greatly impressed by one who did not seem to you to have a "controlling future"? Can a person who wishes to be strong afford to cherish ill

will? To explain to other persons all the springs of his action? Illustrate or give reasons for your answers.

Paragraph 11: The man himself is greater than his benevolences.

What sentences in this paragraph state the moral that Lowell's Sir Launfal teaches? Why is approbation dangerous for us; and why are doubt and suspicion wholesome?

Paragraph 12: Character is above intellectual power. Explain the metaphor in the first sentence. Do you wonder that Emerson despaired of expressing his ideal of character? What does he consider the inspiration of his intellectual power?

Paragraphs 13-16: A man of character receives his gift from Nature; he does not depend on the praise or the blame of others.

Compare with paragraphs 5, 6, 7 above. Can any one be absolutely indifferent to public opinion? Ought he to be? Give examples of "divine" men in the world's history; of famous men who were not "divine." Explain clearly the point of each example given by Emerson in paragraph 16. At the end of paragraph 16 he says that we cannot "go abroad" without feeling the influence of such men. Can you give examples from your experience?

Paragraphs 17-21: Men of character are drawn to one another.

Illustrate from history and observation. See also Friendship, paragraph 5. To what person does the last half of paragraph 20 refer particularly what "youth that owed nothing to fortune"? Has the life of every great man been, in a measure, the life, self-sacrifice, and death of this one? Would Emerson judge a person as having or not having character partly by his attitude toward such "gods and saints"

by his ability to recognize their greatness? See paragraphs 18 and 21. And see Lowell's The Present Crisis.

MANNERS

Paragraph 1: Introductory: Manners and customs differ among different nations.

Explain the illustrations of Emerson, and add others of your own.

Paragraph 2: The gentleman is the product of modern civilization.

What does Emerson mean by "gentleman" here? Is your notion exactly like his? Do not think of gentle in this word as meaning what our adjective gentle means now. The "gentles" were the nobles, and the "commons" were the lower class. Why should the manners of the "gentles" come to be our ideal manners? What does the phrase noblesse oblige mean? Why should words originally referring to the "commons" (as vulgar, villain, knave) have taken on a bad moral significance?

Paragraph 3: Some qualities of Emerson's ideal "gentleman" are named here.

What are these qualities? Why does not Emerson like the words we have to express the summary of these qualities? Show that "politics and trade" have with us taken the place of war. Does this change in social conditions require change in the character of the gentleman? Compare the mediæval knight with the modern gentleman in respect to qualities named in this paragraph. "The young soldier took his oath of chivalry; he solemnly swore to defend the church, to attack the wicked, to respect the priesthood, to protect women and the poor, to preserve the country in tranquility, and to shed his blood, even to the last drop, in

behalf of his brethren." (Mill: The History of Chivalry.) If any of these vows are obsolete in their medieval form, do they stand for universal principles that you can state in a modern form? For example, the vow to defend the church. What was the purpose of the church? Is it a gentleman's duty to defend all institutions that do the work the church professed to do in the Middle Ages? What was "personal force" called in the last essay you read?

Paragraph 4: Strength, courage, and independence are qualities of a gentleman.

Discuss Emerson's examples. Add examples from your own knowledge. Can you think of any that seem to contradict his statement? Do you think these three qualities are necessary to a gentleman? Does Emerson make too much of "personal force"?

Paragraph 5: Wealth is not necessary to a gentleman. Would wealth be an advantage or a hindrance to him? Give as many ways as you can think of in which it would help or hinder him before you balance your account for your answer. Is it true that a wealthy person and a poor person cannot be friends?

Paragraph 6: Manners are the product of society.

Memorize the third and fourth sentences of this paragraph. State clearly, then, how certain forms come to be regarded as "good manners." Does Emerson understand truly how persons of inferior manners feel in the presence of persons of better breeding? What is the value of manners in society?

Paragraph 7: Strong men admire and imitate polished men. State clearly Emerson's theory of this relation in a family of three generations. Which generation contains the “gentleman"? Which the mere "man of fashion"? Do you, from