In modern society do individuals act for themselves, or do others act for them? Throughout life, one may come to observe that society itself is just one large group of people that act and do everything the same way, while others may feel that they are completely independent. According to Ralph Emerson, society is nothing more than a great deal of consistency. He clearly addresses this in his essay titled "Self Reliance" by explaining and presenting various themes that revolve around it. The underlying themes that are present include uniqueness, self-confidence, and metamorphosis.

One of the most notable messages that Emerson writes about involves uniqueness. He claims that everyone has their own character and that it is what makes them different from the rest of the world. He writes, "We pass for what we are" (442). By this, he is trying to say that people are accepted for the...