The Degradation of Women in the American Scholar In "The American Scholar," Ralph Waldo Emerson characterizes the nature of the American scholar into three categories: nature, books, and action. The scholar is the one who mystifies nature, because one must be absorbed by nature before one can appreciate it. In nature man learns to tie things together; trees sprout from roots, leaves grow on trees, and so on. Man learns to classify things in nature, which simplifies things in his mind (section I). Books, for the scholar, should only be used as a link to gather information about the past. Because these books do not give an accurate factual account of the past; they provide information so that man can form his own opinions. These books were written by men who had already formulated in their heads ideas generated by other books. Man must seek inspiration in these books to create his own thoughts. It must use all possible resources available to make every side and every opinion known. When man creates his own thoughts, using every source to help h...