Understanding Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”
Getting the Gist*
(1) Read the passage for the first time.
(2) Using a T-chart, list the important words/phrases/ideas.
How to Make the T-chart: Divide a sheet of paper in half down the middle.
 Label the first column: What Emerson Says
 Label the second column: My Commentary on What Emerson Says
*Gist: the main or essential points in a speech or other writing, here Emerson’s essay.
Analyzing Stylistic Choices – Take a Second Look
Words
 How do specific words Emerson chooses (the ones noted on your T-chart) affect you?
 What words or synonyms are repeated? Why?
o Try to infer/deduce why Emerson chose these words
 What figurative language does Emerson use?
o Similes, metaphors, personification
o Give examples of each and how they help Emerson explain/illustrate his points.
Sentences
 Make a note of the sentence structures he uses. Why does he alternate between longer and
shorter sentences?
 What effects do his sentence structure and length have on you, the reader? Do they make it
easier or harder to understand what Emerson is saying? Why?
Analyzing Your Findings in Your Group
 Discuss how the text is organized – is it more like a web or like a straight path? Does this
structure make is easier/harder to understand Emerson? Why?
 Discuss the major parts of the essay and the purpose of each part.
Summarizing and Responding on Your Own
Review your notes from the T-chart (what you wrote during the first reading in the Getting the
Gist activity) and the style analysis from your group. Write a summary of the text’s most
significant points in your own words.