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(2016
midterm assignment) Sample Student Midterm Answers 2016 (index to #3 samples) #3: Web Highlights |
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Michelle Liaw
Reconstructing History through Literature: Using the Past to Guide the
Present
After
perusing through the postings, I discovered that there was a common connection
between several submissions. The links between literature and history can’t be
ignored. From the Salem Witch Trials to Christopher Columbus, literature becomes
a powerful tool that illuminates the way past societies operated. Compared to
previous literature courses I’ve taken that focused on mechanics and writing
skills, it’s compelling to see how the roots of literature can be tied in so
many ways to present day society now.
Starting with Faron Samford’s post, “American History Now”, the idea that
readings from early American settlements provide a connection to current social
debates shows how literature provides a way to learn from the past. It’s
interesting to see how the fears stemming from the Salem Witch Trials have
highlighted the beginning of a hot button issue of separation of church and
state that persists today. This shows that understanding literature encompasses
more than just being able to read and write well.
Samford also brings up the point that
readings of early American History is only interesting to students who have an
interest in history. However, I think that being able to understand the impact
that written words have had on the society of the past and present allows the
reader to combine literature with history.
By
studying literature, we are not only able to gain insight into the universal
truth that the author has decided to write about, but also a mirror into the
culture of the author’s time period. In Sarah Roelse’s post, “The Captivity
Narrative as Seen Through the Eyes of Modernity”,
the captivity narratives become the only, if somewhat dramatized, first-hand
accounts of relations between the settlers and the Indians. Perhaps the reason
why some stereotypes of Native Americans exist today, especially in the
entertainment business, is due largely in part to the contributions overly
romanticized accounts of one-sided settlers. Sarah
states that captivity narratives are “like a bad car accident which we can’t
help but dwell on”. This definitely connects to the discussion during class
about how captivity narratives are like a vicarious experience, where the reader
can experience the emotions of an event but not the physical risks. The
literature of the past becomes a sort of portal into humanity. It doesn’t brush
away the blemishes of human society, but rather it brings them to light.
Continuing with Melissa Sandifer’s “Unity through Diversity: This is America,”
she presents the idea that the diversity of the nation today must be taught
through the diversity of early American literature. It’s important to recognize
our roots and how the past has helped shape the present. Sandifer argues that
the letters of Christopher Columbus provide us with valuable knowledge about the
first interactions with the Indians as peaceful. These letters are essential in
teaching America’s diverse history, as it is not just one singular race that
makes up the fabric of American history. I thought it was interesting to see how
Sandifer makes the point that when Columbus was writing his letters he was not
only documenting his culture, but also other cultures surrounding him as well.
It is through these interactions that we are able to make a distinction that
modern day diversity is due in part to the beginnings of early America.
Through these literature posts, I discovered that the unifying theme of
literature is that it provides a bridge from the past to the future. Whether by
providing first hand accounts of early American civilization, or by documenting
the political controversies of colonial America, literature has the ability to
use the past to help guide present-day society.
