About Self-Reliance
What it's about
Emerson's famous essay on thinking for yourself. Trust your own ideas, do not fear contradicting yesterday's opinions, and stop looking for peace in travel, luck or other people: nothing can bring you peace but yourself.
Who it's for
Anyone who worries too much about what others think, and readers of Thoreau's Walden who want to meet the friend and teacher who inspired him.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 785 words
- Reading time
- about 6 minutes (~2 min per part)
- Author
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you liked this, read
- Walden · B2
- Meditations · B2
- The Enchiridion · B2
Looking for something easier or harder? See Easy English books by level (A1–B2).
Reading Self-Reliance in English: quick answers
- What English level is Self-Reliance on SeoJae Story?
- Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is Self-Reliance hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read Self-Reliance in simple English?
- About 6 minutes of reading in total — roughly 2 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of Self-Reliance?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is Self-Reliance free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is Self-Reliance in the public domain?
- Yes. Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self-Reliance is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #2944). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.