The relationship between books and school for Ralph Emerson is interesting because he does have respect for books and the knowledge that can be attained from it through study.  But he is  against relying on books, specifically religious doctrines. He during his speech at Harvard university spoke on the idea of nature and the importance of humans to directly interact with it, not live based on only christian doctrines, that he felt was traditional and a limited way of using our mind. Descartes journey was similar to Ralph Emerson story because both did get educated, Descartes went to high level of school and Ralph was in a ministry in Boston, both got there educations but left to go in search for there own truth, both had a internal quest to find answers there educational systems did not provide for them.  There was a natural desire for truth which ties in Rousseau story of Emilie  because he does believe books or education is important but it has to be introduced only when the child is able to take in information critically with no ones influence on them.  Both touch on the idea of thinking for ones self or free thinking and coming to knowledge through your own trial and error which ties in John Locke idea that we learn trough our own experiences and associations with them.