LITR 4328:
American Renaissance         		Model Assignments
Final Exam Essays 2017
(final exam assignment)
 Sample answers for
A1. learning about American Renaissance		  

Bradley Tarpey

Reflections on a Semester of Learning

          Throughout this semester, I have been challenged in our American Renaissance class to broaden my horizon on a number of concepts that I either misinterpreted, or was not aware of. I had lived my entire life up until this semester with an incorrect definition of Romanticism, which was quickly corrected throughout this semester. More interestingly, I was also exposed to a number of new ideas, such as the Byronic hero, a reoccurring theme that had been occurring in front of my eyes with no real name for it. Finally, through lectures and class discussions, a whole new set of contexts was given around a time period that I had not studied extensively. Through historical background, and relating its relevance to the subject matter and its ripple effects, I was able to gain a greater education surrounding the American Renaissance. It is these particular illuminating concepts and moments that I wish to expand on in order to display my own growth as a student concerning the American Renaissance.

          First is the cornerstone concept in the American Renaissance, Romanticism. As I wrote in my midterm essay concerning Romanticism, “Prior to this class this concept would have been closely tied to the stereotypical idea of a romance novel.” At that point in the semester I had only begun to grasp the fundamental concepts behind Romanticism, as compared to where I am now. Currently, I know Romanticism to be a wide arching term that can be argued to be involved in numerous literary pieces. Romanticism can be said to be a pivotal concept in the act of creating literature itself. When we ask ourselves why we write, one answer that could potentially be presented is to express our creativity. We write to give birth to something out of this world, to put to words an image or idea that cannot easily be described in the spoken word. These are all ideas that fall under the umbrella of Romanticism. Romantic writing gives the author the power to create an absolute, whether it be good or evil, and in doing so, gives the reader an opportunity to escape from the mundane.

          One of the more enjoyable elements of our class this semester was the seemingly weekly opportunity to learn a new term that gave a title to a recognizable theme in literature. The most striking example of this weekly occurrence was the Byronic hero. As a literature major, I often seek out opportunities to consume as much content as possible, whether it be written or acted. It was striking to me how often the Byronic hero appeared in all forms of life. In some instances, it appeared as the actual author, such as Edgar Allan Poe, with his patented dark and mysterious aurora that has become an inseparable part of his history. While in other opportunities, it was a tool used in literature such as by Nathaniel Hawthorn in Young Goodman Brown, with Brown being caught in his own inner turmoil. Although what has caught my attention the most is our society’s fascination with this particular type of character, with it being a sizeable trend in modern day television and movies. Whether it be Tony Stark in The Avengers series, or Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, this idea has become commonplace in contemporary entertainment. It is connections like these that peak my interest and that I enjoy most about my major. Through our American Renaissance class, I can make connections between literary works from the early 19th century and modern-day television. By doing this, it becomes interesting to observe what this suggests about human nature, and the ways that we seek to illustrate our literary imitations of ourselves.

          As I continue my venture into the world of education, two themes that continually show themselves in classes that I gather the most knowledge from is historical context and open discussion. Although these two concepts have seemingly little in common, their impact should not be discounted. With historical background, such as the incredible impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the student is able to make larger connections through the course texts. With Uncle Tom’s Cabin having success on a similar level that we would experience today, the speeches of Sojourner Truth can be appreciated with a greater level of understanding. Although, these connections would not be possible without our in-class discussions and presentations. One such example of an illuminating presentation was the display of the Uncle Tom’s Cabin website. It is one thing to hear the impact of the novel on the world, it is another to see the wide-ranging influence and commercial impact. These elements present two things to the world of education. One cannot have the deepest education of a topic possible without context, and the student is at their best when learning from other students.

          This class has presented myself with an opportunity to grow my knowledge on a deeply influential time in American literature. Throughout this semester I have begun my education on Romanticism, and its wide implications towards writing as a whole. In addition to this, I have been exposed to a number of new terms such as the Byronic hero, giving me a language which I can use to discuss the more intricate parts of American literature and culture. Finally, myself and my classmates were able to experience a learning environment which modeled a Democratic model of education, where information came from one another, not an isolated source.