Tower Ruins by Thomas Cole

You admire a tower of granite which has weathered the storms of so many years.  Yet a little waving hand built this huge wall, and whatever builds is better than whatever is built.   The invisible thought which created the tower is even greater than the hand which built it.  There is always a fine cause which is itself the effect of a finer cause. Everything looks permanent until its secret is known.   Nature looks stable, but it has a cause like everything else.   . . . Cause and effect are two sides of one fact.


                       Adapted from “Circles” by    Ralph Waldo Emerson

QUESTIONS Write at least two sentences on each question.

  1. What is the main example Emerson gives for cause and effect?
  2. People usually think of the builder of a tower as a very strong man. Why
    does Emerson describe him as having a “little waving hand?”
  3. What does Emerson mean that “cause and effect are two sides of one fact?”
    Why does he use the title “Circles?”
  4. Emerson’s theme is cause and effect. How is this paragraph itself an example of cause-effect writing?

Full Answer Section

       
  1. "Little Waving Hand": Emerson describes the builder as having a "little waving hand" to deemphasize physical strength. Building a tower is a complex process that requires planning, thought, and potentially the work of many. The "little waving hand" symbolizes the initial action or idea that sets the entire process in motion, regardless of the builder's physical stature.

  2. Two Sides of One Fact: By saying "cause and effect are two sides of one fact," Emerson suggests that they are inextricably linked. You cannot have one without the other. Everything that exists has a cause, and every cause has an effect. The title "Circles" might allude to this cyclical nature of cause and effect, where effects can become causes for further effects, creating a never-ending loop.

  3. Cause-Effect Example: The paragraph itself is an example of cause-effect writing. The observation of the weathered tower (effect) leads to the explanation of its construction (cause). Emerson then uses this example to illustrate his broader point about the hidden power of initial causes and the interconnectedness of cause and effect.

Sample Answer

   

Answers to Emerson's "Circles" passage:

  1. Main Example: The main example Emerson gives for cause and effect is the tower of granite. He highlights the contrast between the powerful, enduring effect (the weathered tower) and its seemingly insignificant cause (the "little waving hand" of the builder). This emphasizes the hidden power of the initial cause that sets the effect in motion.