Tow # 10 "The Foul Reign of 'Self-Reliance'" (essay)

In his essay, The Foul Reign of “Self-Reliance”, Benjamin Anastas, teacher and author of several novels, depicts and argues against the original perception of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance.” Through the use of anecdotes and antagonistic tone Anastas tries but fails to reveal that the original idea of self-reliance from Emerson’s work has turned into self-centeredness.

Anastas begins his essay with an anecdote explaining his first exposure to Emerson’s “Self Reliance.” Sharing that he was introduced to this piece of literature in an English class when he was a teenager. By using this anecdote, Anastas revealed that he formerly blamed his teacher for introducing his class to a lecture of  “self-conceit so intensely intellectual” (Anastas 2), but then realized that his teacher only “fell under the spell, like countless others before him and after, of the most pernicious piece of literature in the American canon” (Anastas 2). By using this anecdote, Anastas is able to clearly state his opinion on this specific piece of literature and describe why he has it. He believes that Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” laid havoc to generations of Americans by praising self-centeredness. However, this is where I believe Anastas discredits himself. By placing sole responsibility on Emerson’s work he leaves room for other interpretations of “Self-Reliance” as well as other reasons for why self-reliance has turned into self-centeredness in our society.

Throughout the text, Anastas uses an antagonistic tone to try and explain his contempt of “Emerson’s tacit endorsement of a radically self-centered worldview” (Anastas 4). Anastas writes, “It’s not like… the sun, the moon, and the stars revolve around our portable reclining chairs, and whatever contradicts our right to harbor misconceptions… is the prattle of the unenlightened majority and can be dismissed out of hand” (Anastas 4). By using such a tone the author tries to evoke his true feelings of American society today by depicting us as always wanting the spotlight. Although this tone is memorable, it is ineffective. It angers the audience for generalizing the American people as one thing when not everyone is the same. Part of why this does not work is because Anastas does not appeal to ethos enough to give him the authority to make such generalizations. It also causes Anastas’s points to seem unorganized, in that it seems his irritation takes over and his thoughts become unclear.

Although this piece of writing is very memorable and interesting I do not feel like Anastas successfully achieves his purpose. Due to his use of anecdotes and antagonistic tone he is unable to show the Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” is the reason for our society’s self-centeredness, in his work The Foul Reign of “Self-Reliance”.