While reading Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay,Circles?, I came across two very distinct aspects of modernism: 1) new ideas replace the old, change is always possible and inevitable and, 2) 'the key to everyman is his thought.? The first idea of the two is rather straight forward, however, it still reflects a strong sense of modernism throughout the several times it is addressed in Emerson's essay. The second aspect is a little more complex and harder to tackle as Emerson does not go into great detail about it. Nonetheless, I feel this is a very significant idea to consider when discussing modernism so I will do my best to show exactly how it can be linked to modernism especially with regards to Emerson's essay,Circles.?
             ?Permanence is but a word of degrees.? (p. 25) This line which falls in the third paragraph of the beginning of the essay is a very clear and simple way to introduce the idea of change and constant diversity. Permanence is a synonym for immovability which in other words means not capable of being moved or rearranged. In this sense of the word, permanence, on its own would simply mean a state of constant similitude. In modernism, diversity, activity and changeable truth are essential to its meaning and thus by stating thatpermanence is but a word of degrees? Emerson is demonstrating that permanence is not simply unchangeable but instead has many degrees and no fixed points. Furthermore, he goes on to say thatEvery ultimate fact is only the first of a new series.? (p. 26). This suggests that change is always possible and essentially inevitable; truth is thus continuously diverse and alterable. To further exemplify this idea Emerson writes,Everything looks permanent until its secret is known.? (p. 26). This 'secret? then creates another degree of the circumference of man's circle which opens up new opportunities and allows man to create, view or further come closer to a new truth. With the idea of alterable truth and a c...