After reading both “The American Scholar” and “An Indian’s Looking-Glass For the White Man” I noticed the common theme was equality among mankind. Apess spoke out on behave of native brethren, specifically addressing the white man’s gross injustices on a considered lesser race. Emerson dances around his idea of equality in a more philosophical sense of what makes us man. This does not necessarily mean Emerson was not in favor of Apess’ views, but maybe shows a low agenda setting for the Indian’s plight. The passion and specific mapping out of a solution seen in one text and not in the other could have something to do with each writer’s own relationship with equality. When compared I think Apess writes out of necessity while Emerson merely writes to pontificate.
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But maybe Emerson believes there is a necessity for change in the "American" way of life. He himself was a great thinker, and based on his assessment of a "man" not subjecting himself to one job in society, but being a multi-faceted man, he was likely one of the latter himself. Maybe (of course this is all speculation because I don't have a bio on him) he witnessed the completeness it brought to his own life, that he thought it was necessary for everyone to adopt the same way of thinking, not just to benefit those individuals, but to help the country as a whole progress.
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