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“Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.”
The line makes self-trust a prerequisite for independent thought and action.
Source note: Essay “Self-Reliance.”
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“Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.”
Emerson argues that mature character requires enough independence to resist conformity when conviction points elsewhere.
Source note: Self-Reliance, in the section urging trust in one’s own judgment.
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“You may give them your love but not your thoughts.”
Care can be generous without requiring another person to inherit every belief or preference.
Source note: The Prophet, “On Children.”
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“The soul selects her own society, then shuts the door.”
Dickinson’s compressed image emphasizes selective attention and the right to decide what receives intimate access.
Source note: “The Soul Selects Her Own Society”; capitalization is lightly normalized.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.”
Emerson places inner integrity above conformity, arguing that a person should examine inherited standards rather than surrender judgment merely because they are socially approved.
Source note: Self-Reliance, in the passage beginning with Emerson’s argument for nonconformity.
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“If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside.”
Voice: Fictional character · Sara Crewe
Dignity is separated from possessions and appearance, locating self-worth in conduct and inner standards when external status has been stripped away.
Source note: A Little Princess; Sara uses an imagined inner identity to preserve dignity during poverty and mistreatment.