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LITR 4231 Early American Literature |
Final Exam Essays 2014 Sample answers
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Josh Cobb
3 May 2014
American Ideology and the Individual Reformer
In many ways, the written works of early America are fascinated with the idea of
establishing new patterns of thought. The authors of early American literature
were attempting to re-shape the public ideology, whether it be through the
enlightened writings of Thomas Jefferson or the evangelical sermons of George
Whitefield. The pervasive nature of writing in early American society can be
likened to the televised media saturation of the modern age. The writers used
their authority over the word to alter the growing and ever-changing landscape
of the American continent, using their words as a guide to a more wholesome
nation. However, this ideal is far from universal.
The course objectives outline how we as a class are to view and analyze these
texts; they constitute an origin story of sorts, altering the direction of the
nation to an extent, and are relevant now as resources to understand how social
change is implemented. I touched upon the theme of American literature as
creation stories earlier on the midterm; however, as the course has drawn on, I
have discovered that the Utopian vision of America’s early writers was anything
but uniform. The subjectivity of right and wrong creates an insurmountable
paradox for all those who attempt to create order. The polarization of American
morality is both a result and a theme of the American value of individualism,
and is represented by the contrasting voices within American literature. They
use unique arguments to craft an individualist interpretation of America and
implement some sort of social change.
In my initial analysis of American literature, I argued that its primary purpose
was to establish a uniform origin story for a westernized America. This concept
was extremely interesting to me because it connected seemingly disparate
sources, mythological tales and the constitution, and formed them into a unified
concept and purpose. Each establishes a credo of sorts, and causes the reader to
think critically about the nature of our existence. This idea is exciting to me
as both a writer and historian, and I feel it offers a helpful framework which
future students may use to understand the course’s combined texts with greater
depth and clarity.
As seen with the gradual displacement of the Native American ideology, the
nature of thought is very much like a virus; it is infectious and has the
capability to spread. Like an invasive species, it can potentially uproot the
established order. The Native American way of life, along with their beliefs and
customs, was eradicated by the influx of European immigrants who carried with
them their own ideology. Captivity narratives were written and constitutions
constructed, and it seemed that this was the beginning of a new America. This
America was only allowed to flourish by the displacement of the Native American
way of life which had existed previously.
With this concept fresh in the mind of the reader, it would make sense that, of
the various and conflicting ideologies of the early European-Americans, one
would inevitably displace the other as the dominant philosophy. However, this
was not the case. It would seem the common bond running throughout the whole of
American literature is the concept of individualism; that is, that each
individual is entitled to live and believe whichever way they see fit. The wide
array of ideas which are delivered through the writings of the era are an
example of this, and each author preaches his own form of ideological sentiment.
In Jefferson’s Writings on Religious
Freedom he established an argument of federal religious toleration. He
asserts that religion should not be regulated in any way by the state because it
is an infringement of the rights of the citizen. The tenet of individualism
shines out in this piece. Jefferson’s is an absolute promoter of enlightenment
dogma: “Reason
and persuasion are the only practicable instruments.”
This statement empowers the individual at the expense of the state, and is a
tenet of both enlightenment and transcendental philosophy. These letters were a
response to the increasing religious-factionalism which was occurring in the
early years of the United States.
These writings are not quite an origin story, as previously argued, but they are
very much an attempt to alter the direction of the U.S. federal government
policy toward religious toleration and empower the individual. Jefferson is
using his work to create a specific outcome: religious freedom in America.
The concept of raising awareness to an issue is recurring throughout early
American literature. These works are used to communicate a particular plight; in
the case of Whitefield, his sermons raise awareness to various religious issues
within the Christian structure. He argues that people falsely accuse themselves
as devout Christians, but fail to act in accordance with the basic tenets of the
Christian philosophy. Whitefield was a part of the American evangelical
movement, a reformist sect of Christianity that carried on the protestant will
to change. This is a great contrast to the voice of Jefferson. Both are trying
to argue their own, individual ideology of reformation to the masses through the
written medium.
The written works of early America carry massive importance. Their capability to
create change cannot be understated, and the vast array of ideas expressed
during the period is representative of the individualist attitude of the nation.
This power illuminates the purpose of early American literature as an instrument
of individualist change.
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