Within Chapter one “Nature” of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature, Emerson’s friend Christopher Cranch draws a caricature of him as a “transparent eyeball.” As far as the entire passage goes I believe that Emerson is discussing how clueless mankind is about Nature. He states early in the Chapter the following, “But none of them owns the landscape. There is property in the horizon which no man has but he whose eye can integrate all the parts, that is, the poet.” (Nature pg. 555). This statement suggests that the world and the nature involved in it is too broad of a concept for people to completely wrap their heads around. I believe that Emerson is slightly egotistical when stating the part about the poet, specifically, being the only one to integrate all parts of nature with his eyes. Emerson also states that, “Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eve of the man but shines into the eye and the heart of the child.” (Nature pg. 555). This is part of what I believe the purpose of that caricature Emerson’s friend drew of him. As it is called the “transparent eye-ball”, the drawing depicts how Emerson believes he has a broader view on nature than other people on most aspects of Nature in general. However, Emerson states a few sections down that he is, “Standing on the bare ground, – my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, – all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball. I am nothing.” (Nature pg. 556). Here he is describing how the woods brought back faith and reason. He discusses just right before that he finds that in the woods he feels nothing can go wrong, to put it simply. He says there can be no disgrace, but also no calamity; which are both stressful ideas. After this moment in the woods, Emerson realizes that he is just a “part or particle of God.” As he put it. He notices that he is nothing more than one human in a gigantic world.
I myself, have had a similar experience such as this when I went scuba diving with my family. I noticed how big the ocean’s waters are and how many species and organisms are found within the blue sea. I realized this and began to also realize how small I was compared to the entire world. As someone who had always had a love and admiration for nature as a whole, I was never someone to think just because I like nature, this means no one else sees it as I do. This is where me and Emerson differ. Sure, we both find nature intriguing, but I would like to believe I am not as egotistical and self-centered as he.
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