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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 is the ultimate effect of two lovers drawing closer to each other spiritually?

2. Who can too often judge and categorize art and literature, according to "The Poet"?

3. What word or phrase means a belief that God's grace allows an individual to ignore all laws, divine and terrestrial?

4. According to Emerson, heroism is the unwavering determination to do the right thing combined with a supremely ______.

5. What happens when you greatly admire or revere someone?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to "The Over-Soul", what is the over-soul? What happens when individuals come together for the purpose of spiritual growth?

2. What happens when we admire someone, according to "Nominalist and Realist"?

3. What does Emerson think of Plato, according to "Plato; or, the Philosopher"? What indicates this?

4. What three categories of people does prudence manifest itself into, according to "Prudence"?

5. According to "Self-Reliance", what is the relationship between conformity and being a man?

6. What is the benefit of friendship, according to "Friendship"? What is the irony in Emerson's essay?

7. According to "Experience", why do most people not recognize the changes in their lives until they are looking in retrospect?

8. What rights does every individual in a free society have, according to "Politics"?

9. According to "The Lord's Supper", what does Emerson say is the purpose of the Lord's Supper in Christian ritual? What does he say should be the focus?

10. According to "The Poet", what is the effect of poets speaking the truth? How do poets speak the truth?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the role of intuition in Emerson's writings.

Essay Topic 2

What is Emerson's view of Plato? Use evidence from his essay "Plato; or, the Philosopher" to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

What is the purpose of "Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson"? What do you learn about Emerson by reading it?

(see the answer keys)

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