第3单元　拉尔夫•华尔多•爱默生

1. What is the author’s attitude towards charity? Why does he hold such an attitude?

Key: The author thinks that not all charity is good, especially when malice and vanity wear the coat of philanthropy. And it is not his obligation to give money to the poor. What’s more, he feels shameful when sometimes he succumbs and gives the dollar, and it is a wicked dollar. He objects to the charity.

Because he thinks that people’s good actions, such as doing charity, are done as an apology or extenuation of their living in the world. However, he holds that people should not wish to expiate, but to live.

2. According to the author, what do most people believe to be virtue? And what is real virtue?

Key: Most people believe that virtues are rather the exception than the rule, and they are penances. The real virtue is the rule that people must do what concerns them rather than what the people think.

3. Why does the author dislike “consistency”? Do you agree with him? Do you think that people should give up consistency?

Key: Because that consistency scares us from self-trust, and makes us less confident. It also makes us have a reverence for our past act or word because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them. What’s more, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. And with consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. It will ruin a man’s creativity.

I cannot totally agree with him. Although I confess that there are some positive meanings in his proposal, I cannot neglect the positive aspects of consistency. Because that we sometimes need consistency to restrict people’s behaviors. For example, nature has its own law that we must follow, or we will violate the order of it.

In my mind, whether people should give up consistency or not depends on the specific situation. That is, Keeping it firmly or giving it up is not wise choice. We should treat it case-by-case.

4. What is the agreement of one’s actions? Why is it important for people?

Key: The agreement of one’s actions is that the actions will be harmonious, no matter how unlike they seem.

Because only with this agreement, can people be each honest and natural in their hour. Conformity explains nothing, and people’s genuine action will explain itself and their other genuine actions. So, it is important for people.