Here, Emerson employs hypophora, whereby following the series of rhetorical questions, he provides answers. His solution, to stay distant from the intimacies of friendship, is elucidated in imperative language, with commands such as “leave,” “worship,” “guard,” and “let him.” With the use of commands, Emerson asserts his conviction that friendship is best maintained when infused with estrangement.
"Why should we desecrate noble and beautiful souls by intruding on them?..."See in text("Friendship")
Through a series of five rhetorical questions, Emerson asks in variation, Why become too acquainted with a friend? The rhetorical questioning strategy he employs indicates that he thinks such behavior is inane. In the following lines, he offers a solution of estrangement and detachment.
"What is so pleasant as these jets of affection which make a young world for me again?..."See in text("Friendship")
As a renowned lecturer, Emerson was masterful at appealing to his audience’s emotions. Here, he employs hypophora, whereby he poses a series of rhetorical questions and then follows them up with an immediate answer. The questions he poses illustrate how friendship allows him to harness a more sensual connection with another person (“jets of affection,” “a just and firm encounter of two”) and his response demonstrates how friendship allows him to transcend all temporal sensation (“the earth is metamorphosed; there is no winter and no night”).
From the outset, Emerson pulls the reader into his essay with the inclusive pronoun “we.” Through this rhetorical device, Emerson immediately connects to readers at a personal level by invoking shared, communal values. He immediately establishes a common belief that both he and readers may hold true: individuals are inherently kind and good.
