Emerson

The influence, helpfulness, and usefulness of books is completely illustrated in this excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson's speech, "The American Scholar." This writer qualifies with Emerson's beliefs expressed in the passage.

"Each age, it is found... the next succeeding. The books... not fit this." Emerson's statement that each generation or age must write for its own generation can be verified from both a pro and con point of view. From the con point of view this writer knows that the books that she reads are not written by other 16-year-olds. And also there are books like "The Lord of the Flies," which was written way before her time, which so enjoyed. On the other side this writer is able to relate better with a writer when they are closer in age to her. They are both going through the same peer pressures and horrifying school work that they can more closely relate to each other.

"The sacredness... is perfect." Emerson talks of how much responsibility a writer has. This writer strongly agrees with that statement. As a writer you are provoking thoughts and ideas of your readers. The more impressionable, younger readers, are always much easier to fool. They believe that if it was printed on paper than it must be true. It's much like the reader's mind is like putty and when reading a book the writer had the ability to mold the reader's mind.

"The guide is a tyrant... it is disparaged." This writer believes that the "guide" that is spoken of in this passage is the writer himself. There are children in the Middle East who, in their elementary schooling, learn from textbooks that teach them how to be suicide bombers. The children can be so easily manipulated by the things they read and are taught at a young age.

No one really realizes the influence, helpfulness, or usefulness, which comes from a book, much when they are reading