The article “American Scholar” by Emerson calls upon the youth of America to create their own literature, and become individuals in society rather than to simply believe in the things they are expected to think and believe in. Emerson calls on the fraternity of Phi Beta Kappa to become individual thinkers and scholars, Emerson tells them to keep expanding their minds and ideas. The article is used to inspire and address young Americans to create their own ideas, and without the influence of previous works, and British literature, in the hope to revitalize American literature and poetry. Through the use of metaphors, similes, repetition, imagery, as well as metonyms Emerson reinforces his idea that one should be a scholar by nature, rather than by literature.

Emersons use of metaphors convey his idea that one should be an individual thinker rather than rely just on the works of others to create his ideas and beliefs. “…when the victim of society, he tends to become a mere thinker, or, still worse the parrot of other mens thinking” (Emerson 470). the use of this quote portrays Emersons idea that men have come to completely relying on the works of others, and that Man is no longer and individual thinker. He encourages these young men of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity to become individual thinking men, and to base their ideas on nature and the society they live in, since one cannot base present society on a later society. Emersons idea on what a scholar should be is that one should learn from society and to write for the society they live in, “each age, it is found must writes its own books; or rather, each generation for the next succeeding. The books of an older period will not fit this” (Emerson 471), this quote directly portrays Emersons idea that the works of others do no fit present society. Thus causing the reader to infer that Emerson believes society should not focus its ideas and beliefs because they do not relate to present society of the scholar. Emersons goal is to encourage the youth of America to write their own literature, and their beliefs on society and nature. As well as future scholars moving away from British literature in schools and society. Though the use of metaphors, Emerson is telling the students of the Phi Beta Kappa society of Harvard to become individual thinking men and original scholars for society.

With the use of similes, Emerson is able to convey his idea to the audience that poetry would be brought back into society only when the American youth would realize the power their words would have on society. Emerson believed that by empowering the youth they would start writing and revitalize American literature, and bring new things to society, “who can doubt that poetry will revive and lead in a new age”(Emerson 469). Through his speech the reader can come to infer that Emerson is not proud in the way society has become dependent on previous works rather than creating their own works. He states that he believes man was divided into men so that more men can do more than one thing in society, “divided Man into men that he might be more helpful to himself; just as a hand was divided into fingers the better to answer its end” (Emerson 469). This quote can help the reader infer that Emerson was attempting to explain to the reader the idea that society is split up to do many different things rather than just one simple task. Every society needs individual thinkers, and scholars should function to create works for society to read, and learn from. Through the use of similes Emerson hopes to encourage the audience to explore and investigate what their job is in society and to write down their ideas on what society, and nature.

Through the use of repetition Emerson uses the term Man throughout the article to reinforce his idea that a scholar is an individual thinking man. Continuing to repeat Man throughout the speech reminds the audience of what Emerson is trying to explain and well as portray his idea on what he believes a scholar should be. “Man is thus metamorphosed into a thing, into many things” (Emerson 469), the use of this quote allows the reader to understand that Emerson believes a scholar can be many things, rather than tied down to one identity.“Man is not a farmer, or a professor, or an engineer, but he is all. Man is priest, and scholar, and statesman, and producer, and soldier” (Emerson 469), with this quote Emerson explains to the audience that man can be many different things, and one does not have to conform to a single one thing. While there are many things man is, it does not make man a scholar, and for man to be a scholar he needs to step out from the conforming society and write down his thoughts and views on society. Because man can be so many things, many of the jobs man can do are based on books, and ideas of previous people, but a scholar is different because a scholar cannot be a book worm. With the use of repetition Emerson portrays his idea on what a individual thinker is not, by using examples of what man can be. The repetition of “Man” helps convey the idea on what Emerson thinks a “mere thinking” man is rather than an individual thinker, and scholar in society.

Later on throughout the article he beings to use metonymy to compare things to something they are very closely associated with “the priest becomes a form, the attorney, a statute book; the mechanic, a machine; the sailor a rope to a ship”(Emerson 473). Here this sentence would almost be as though Emerson is explaining to the scholar for him to be a scholar he must explore, and learn. A scholar cannot simply read the works of others and thinks he knows everything “books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst” (Emerson 472). As every man his profession and he does it rather than doing something he is given. And a scholar must do the same he must explore, learn and write about what he has learned for the society that he lives in. When scholars finally come to do their job and create American literature for American society instead of basing everything on British literature. By assessing things to be very similar he is giving that a scholar can change society and literature if man does what a scholar does and that man does not let the works of other men form his ideas, and creative conscious.

Through the use of rhetorical devices Emerson portrays his idea of what a scholar is to his audience. A scholar should be an individual man, a thinker, a leaner and a worker in society. He should learn from nature and the world around him as well as society to base his ideas and beliefs. He shouldn't dwell on the ideas of people before him, nor should he let it form his ideas. And when man reads he should understand that these ideas were formed in another time and cannot be used to base society on that older idea. These ideas are explained through the form of metaphors, similes, repetition, imagery and metonymy to convey the ideas to the audience what American society needs. American society is in need of individual thinkers to transform society and revitalize American literature and poetry through the youth of America.