Four Quotes: An Ode to Ralph Waldo Emerson (Not Really)

Quote #1 (Self-Reliance): "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string." I beleive that this quote talks about how many people have trouble trusting themselves and they just need to relax. I beleive that 'iron string' is a metaphor for the tension of trusting yourself, a very hard thing to do at times, being that an iron string is very strong and will most likely not break. 'Vibrates' is also a metaphor in my eyes, symbolizing the process through which tension is gradually released and you trust yourself far more.

Quote #2 (Nature): "To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society." I beleive this means that to be independent and different, not following the flow of others, you must distance yourself from society, mentally even more so than physically. I believe that this remains a pertinent issue even today, where people are even more easily swayed to join a social group, sometimes a person must distance themselves so that they can better themselves, much like I attempt to do during the Summer. To become aware of oneself, you must be by oneself is how I would sum it up

Quote #3 (Self-Reliance): "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind." This probably means that when you think everything is going wrong and life stinks, your own mind is always a retreat from the world. Escaping to your mind is a useful thing to be able to do, it's calming and it releases much stress. Your mind is also the most private part of the world, nobody can see what's going on in there.

Quote #4 (Self-Reliance): "Your goodness must have some edge to it,- else it is none..." This means that being kind and caring without any self-defense always ends with no goodness left. When you are kind, you may feel good, but if people pick on you and you have no edge, that kindness will eventually be replaced completely by anger. I believe that "edge" may also refer to kindness being a double-edged sword, the kinder you are, the more kinder you must be to feel good, and eventually it overwhelms you and you crack, like a drug addiction.