In Emerson's "The American Scholar" speech, he says that a scholar should consider to "cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them the fact amidst appearances", to observe on the world and others and see what is needed to be fixed; To be the one to rise above everyone else and stand out on what is at heart; To be amongst the world with a "heroic mind". Today in the present 21st century, scholars aren't like this no more. They go to school just to go to school and as soon as their done, they just look after themselves. Emerson writes expresses this idea in his 5th paragraph of the speech by giving the example of a farmer and how, "he sees bushel and his cart, and nothing beyond, and sinks into the farmer, instead of the Man on the farm."
This ties into what I believe is my role as an American Scholar. Since there is less of Man Thinking around anymore, I am choosing to be that Man Thinking. To look at literature of today and make my own ideas based on the books; To get my experiences so far and to use those experiences, good or bad, and make something positive out of it; To become like one of the many famous authors and important people of our history that have managed to make a change in the world. Emerson even said so in his speech that the past and books are a great influence to us. And I agree! Books give hard thoughts and ideas that I can use, but not to copy, no. Only to rise above it. To add more to it. Keep it up to date.
Man Thinking is a creator not a copy cat. Man Thinking is like God. We will never be able to reach up to Him, never pass above Him, but we can always use His ways of love, comprehension, intelligence, and wisdom, as a way to make this changed world a better place before leaving this Earth in the future. He created this Earth with His own mind and it is from His mind, that we have our own mind, our own thoughts, our own goals in this life. That is what I want to be. I want to create my own creation to add to His. Never to be more than Him, but to be like Him. And that is my goal. That is what my role is as an American Scholar. To be a creator that brings a change in this world. That won't benefit myself, but everyone around me. I am not going to be influenced into being part of the crowd.
Heidy, you have the basics of a good argument here, but you do not include enough support to make it convincing. You interpret Emerson well, and that bit of support works, but you do not include concrete and specific examples that validate your own thinking. For example, when you speak of learning from books, what book titles could you include and why you would value the messages that they teach you-- how could you build on that knowledge? Do you see how adding this type of example adds to your credibility? Where else can you add examples and explanations that support your argument? 5
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