Question

How do adults and children differ in how they see nature? What does Emerson suggest accounts for this difference?

a) Adults see beauty, children see chaos; experience shapes perception.
b) Adults see chaos, children see beauty; innocence shapes perception.
c) Adults and children see nature similarly; education shapes perception.
d) Adults and children see nature differently due to cultural influences.

Answer 1

Adults and children differ in their perception of nature; Emerson believed that the innocence of children allows them to see beauty, whereas adults often see chaos due to their experiences.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question explores the concept of how adults and children perceive nature differently and what the American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson suggests accounts for this difference. Emerson, much like the Romantic writers, believed that children have the capacity to see the beauty and wonder in nature due to their innocence and uncorrupted imaginations. As adults, this perception is often lost due to experience and societal influences. Thus, the correct answer, supported by themes in Romantic literature and the philosophies of Emerson, is b) Adults see chaos, children see beauty; innocence shapes perception.