“To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Nature”

What Emerson is saying here is that for one to live alone one must withdraw domestically as much as fell back form society. The word retire in this statement means to fall back or to withdraw. When Emerson used the word “society” he is referring to the main stream, and when he employed the word “chamber” he is indicating one’s house or inner self. So to reach solitude we must completely withdraw form all aspects of our lives.

“but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the minds is open to their influence.” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Nature”

As previously stated by Emerson nature is good, so thus if the mind is open enough and free nature will leave a good impression on the mind. In this statement Emerson must add that “if the mind is open enough” for many people have preset impressions of nature that will impede them form achieving the impression that nature will make on them.

“To be great is to be misunderstood” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self- Reliance”

When some one in society is scorned or ridiculed it is usually because they are different and or radical. It is human nature to fear difference for it is misunderstood. To be misunderstood, one is not mainstream nor are they conforming. What Emerson is saying is that to be self reliant you will be misunderstood but the greatest minds of his time were misunderstood for they were self reliant. Emerson feels that great people are the ones that are the most self reliant, thus the most misunderstood.

“What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self- Reliance”

Be your self and do what you feel like do not conform to what others tell you to do. This is a paradox for if Emerson intendeds for the read to fallow the reading, than the reader would be directly contradicting what Emerson was trying to peach in the first place. Emerson says this statement for if one were to fallow the other people orders then one would not be self-reliant.