In the article on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self Reliance essay, titled Solitude Before Society: Emerson on Self-Reliance, Abolitionism, and Moral Suasion, Robinson Woodward-Burns explores Emerson’s apolitical and political views. The article presents an effective and trustworthy perspective on solitary contemplation as an ‘imagination that reveals interpersonal obligations’ and shows how these obligations connect with abolitionism in Emerson’s case (Woodward-Burns 29). This essay will discuss how Woodward-Burns made his article an effective and trustworthy source of information by analyzing the article’s level of persuasion, level of fairness, and effective use of evidence.
As Woodward-Burns’ article is an author’s attempt to unite Emerson’s apolitical and political sides, the text of the article is constructed to make the purpose of the article approachable to the reader. To effectively reach the audience, the author separates the text into four valuable parts and uses various constructions within the text. For example, one of the frequently used algorithms in the text states the problem or issue first, provides scholars’ opinion on the issue next, and then states the author’s opinion and arguments on the issue. By following this construction, the author focuses the reader’s attention by using different models of persuasion, where ethos includes the scholars’ opinions, pathos provides background on Emerson’s emotions, and logos explains Emerson’s decisions.
Moreover, in a situation where Emerson’s opinion was formed through a course of events, Woodward-Burns follows and covers the significant events in chronological order, which eases the understanding of the issue for the reader. For example, to explain Emerson’s views on slavery, the Woodward-Burns starts from the Self-reliance essay. The author uses the Self-reliance essay, where Emersion questions abolitionists’ ‘bigotry’ by stating that they should care about their children, their workers, and not black men ’a thousand miles off’ (45). Including the fragment allows the author to establish a chronology of the progression of Emerson’s opinion to the point when he ‘no longer could contemplate slavery in distant, disembodied terms’ (Woodward-Burns 36). Although providing valuable background for the text to support an argument is frequently dismissed, it increases the level of fairness through effective use of evidence in Woodward-Burns’ case.
Apart from the successful use of structure in the article, the author also uses external research to support his claims with valuable opinions from the scholars’ or Emerson’s contemporary individuals, like friends and neighbors. For example, to provide background for Emerson and Thoreau’s walks in nature, Woodward-Burns’ uses other works that provide information on Thoreau’s withdrawal to create a continuous storyline for the reader (34). The utilization of external sources and outside opinions allows the reader to have no doubts about the author’s trustworthiness. Moreover, providing such information permits the article and the author’s arguments to stay the test of time and be a reliable source of information on Emerson’s views on self-reliance, abolitionism, and moral suasion.
In conclusion, this essay explored how Woodward-Burns manages to make his article an effective and trustworthy source of information on Emerson’s views. The author was able to make the article effective through managing the structure of the text with four separate valuable parts and through consistent use of models of persuasion, like ethos, pathos, and logos. With the additional use of chronological background events and their influence on Emerson’s views, the author increases the level of fairness of his article. Moreover, by including various outside opinions, like other scholars’ or Emerson’s friends or neighbors, the author ensures the trustworthiness of the information.
Works Cited
Emerson, Ralph W. “Self-Reliance.” Essays: First Series, by Ralph Emmerson, Sampson & Company, 1841, pp. 37-79.
Woodward-Burns, Robinson. “Solitude Before Society: Emerson on Self-Reliance, Abolitionism, and Moral Suasion.” Polity, vol. 48, no. 1. 2016, pp. 29-54.