What literary or rhetorical device does Emerson use in line 1?
Metaphor
<em>Line 1: Society is a wave. The wave moves onward, but the water of which it is composed does not. </em>
A metaphor is a rhetorical device that directly asserts that one thing is equal or similar to another, not literally but figuratively speaking. In this line, Emerson uses a metaphor to compare society to a wave.
What is the main idea of this passage?
There is no such thing as chance
In the text, Emerson talks about property, government and the way people live relying on fortune to support the main idea of the passage, which is that there is no such thing as chance. He best clarifies this idea in the last paragraph where he discourages the audience to believe in chance or “Fortune,” and instead to “deal with Cause and Effect, the chancelors of God,” rely on their will, and their principles.
What is the overall tone of this passage?
Authoritative
The author is talking from a position of authority, exhorting people not to rely on chance, physical properties or the government, but to rely on themselves.
By referring to the wheel of chance what literary technique is Emerson using?
Analogy
An analogy is a comparison or relationship of equivalence between two things or people, used to explain or clarify an idea. Emerson uses it when he says “and thou hast chained the wheel of Chance” to refer to chance and clarify the idea that one should not rely on chance but on our will.
