Question

a noiseless patient spider
by walt whitman
a noiseless patient spider,
i mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated,
mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding.
it launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.
and you o my soul where you stand,
surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,
ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,
till the bridge you will need be form’d, till the ductile anchor hold,
till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, o my soul.

1. this poem is an example of which transcendentalist theme?

nature is symbolic
self - reliance - trust yourself
seize the day/carpe diem

Explanation:

In "A Noiseless Patient Spider", the spider (nature) is a symbol of the soul's quest. Transcendentalism often uses nature symbolically. "Self - reliance - trust yourself" fits as the soul's independent quest (like the spider's web - spinning) aligns with self - reliance. "Seize the day" is about living in the moment, less relevant here. The poem's focus on the soul's self - directed, trusting exploration (mirroring the spider) makes "Self - reliance - trust yourself" the best choice.

Answer:

Self - reliance - trust yourself