Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Analects, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Self-Restraint
Honesty and Integrity
The Individual vs. The Collective
Self-Mastery, Discipline, and Improvement
Summary
Analysis
Although the Chi Family is very wealthy, Ch’iu helps them to increase their wealth by collecting extensive taxes. Confucius says that Ch’iu is no disciple of his. He tells his friends that they may attack Ch’iu openly.
Yu asks the Master if he should immediately put into practice what he has learned, and the Master tells him that he shouldn’t while his father and elder brother are still alive. Jan Yu asks the Master the same question, and he tells him that he should immediately put into practice what he has learned. Another disciple asks the Master why he has given Yu and Jan Yu different answers. The Master responds saying that Yu has too much energy, so he must be restrained. On the other hand, Jan Yu holds himself back, so the Master felt he needed to encourage him.
Here, Confucius shows himself to be an excellent teacher. He is aware of his student’s unique skillsets and creates teaching approaches that are specific to both of them. The Master has told Yu to exercise a different type of restraint—while much of the text has focused on material restraint, here, Confucius speaks to the importance of patience in learning the Way.
Themes
