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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What idea did Emerson return to many times after giving his speech on American Scholar?

2. How does Richardson characterize Emerson's exterior personality?

3. What does Richardson say was the turning point in Emerson's life?

4. How does Richardson characterize Emerson's perspective on approaching Europe?

5. On whom did Emerson's reading focus after he graduated from Harvard?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Emerson's relationship with Margaret Fuller?

2. Where did Emerson travel in Europe?

3. What was Emerson's relationship with Bronson Alcott?

4. How was the period surrounding Emerson's marriage a time of mixed blessings?

5. How close was the Emerson family after Emerson's return from Europe?

6. How did the birth of Emerson's first son change Emerson's intellectual interests?

7. How did travel change Emerson's intellectual interests?

8. How did Emerson describe Ellen's death?

9. Why did Emerson break with the church?

10. How does Richardson describe the birth of American Transcendentalism?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What were the two or three main points in the process by which Emerson became Emerson? Which moments were most important? Which does Richardson identify? Which do you think are most important, and why?

Essay Topic 2

Write a character sketch of the author based on his style and content. What values does he hold dear? What are his hopes and fears? What kind of person do you think he is? Anchor your sketch in passages in the book.

Essay Topic 3

How did Emerson overcome the grief and loss he experienced so many times? What counterbalanced the sorrow and misery? What emotional, spiritual or personal reserves did he draw on?

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