A mollusk is a cheap edition [of man] with a suppression of the costlier illustrations, designed for dingy circulation, for shelving in an oyster-bank or among the seaweed.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Emerson uses a metaphor to suggest some people lack depth or higher qualities.
- In plain terms
- Some people are like cheap versions of others.
- What can you take from it?
- People vary greatly in depth and value.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you judge value?
- What makes a person rich?
Another view
The metaphor is dehumanizing and potentially offensive.
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