... , iconoclastic proponent of freedom and self-reliance." Sometime in his junior year of college, Emerson began to develop and support his own theories and ideas by becoming extremely well read. Studying works by accomplished thinkers including Hume, Montaigne, Goethe, Plato, Wordsworth, Carlyle, and Pythagoras allowed Emerson to learn about and expand on his own beliefs. Applying all the great literature he read ... habitually spoke against the status quo and in favor of whatever was wild and free." Believing in the power of individualism, Emerson made sure to consciously and deliberately...

• Word Count: 987
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate