The American Scholar In his essay, "The American Scholar", Emerson portrays the scholar as one who learns from the influences of three main things: nature, books, and action. According to Emerson, a true scholar is one who relies upon his own intuition and "self-trust" rather than being a conforming victim of society that does not think and act for himself. In such cases, a man who does not follow these three categories in practice becomes …showed first 75 words of 576 total…

…showed last 75 words of 576 total…himself free and brave. "Free even to the definition of freedom, 'without any hindrance that does not arise out of his own constitution'. Brave; for fear is a thing which a scholar by his very function puts behind him" (1143). By following the wise words of Emerson, the scholar will "walk on [their] own feet; [they] will work with [their] own hands; [they] will speak their own minds" (1147). This is the greatest accomplishment of a scholar.