LITR 4232 American
Renaissance
2008 Midterm Samples
Sample Essays: Cultural / historical option
Personal Relationships in a Marginalized Society
In the mid to late 1700’s continuing throughout the 1800’s a change began to take place within the American society. Many minorities began not only to write but also to have their writings published. In these writings they wrote in great detail about the hardships associated with being a slave or being a Native American or of being a woman. The Society that read these writings was exposed for the first time to the real feelings of people who lived the racism and sexism. No longer were the intellectual society only reading works from people who had never experienced these things but still found them objectionable. A new era had been ushered in where it was now possible for minorities to tell their own story in their own words. In a sample answer from Spring 2003 [DD] states, “The literature of the American Renaissance produced distinctive voices that illuminated concepts or American ideals, such as freedom, and wove them into powerful proclamations for transformation and action in society, such as abolition.” Within this essay I will talk about the confining nature of this society as it pertains to personal relationships such as marriages. To explore this topic properly I will use the authors Douglass, Jacobs, Apess, and Cooper.
In today’s society most people if any think about color when they are in love with someone, but in that past culture people were bound by whatever race they were born into and could not, in most cases, move outside of that race. William Apess writes, “Why, say you, there would be intermarriages. How that would be I am unable to say- and if it should be, it would be nothing strange or new to me; for I can assure you that I know a great many that have intermarried, both of white and the Indians- and many are their sons and daughters and people, too, of the first respectability.” In this passage he is expressing the desire for all people to marry based on choice not on color. He states very explicitly that intermarriages have not produced solely delinquents anymore than same race marriages have produced high-ranking members of society. That within a “Christian” society there should be no argument against someone’s personal choice on whomever they marry. He uses the technique of answering a question with a question, which leads the readers to inevitably ask themselves, why? Perhaps leading the reader to a form of newfound self-discovery.
Harriet Jacobs also illustrates this argument in work by writing about the argument she has with her slaveholder. “ Well, I’ll soon convince you whether I am your master, or the n----- fellow you honor so highly. If you must have a husband, you may take up with one of my slaves.” In this speech that was given by Dr. Flint he illustrates the rampant ignorance of the time, which was that slaves, not being people, had no right to human emotions, and therefore they could be paired with anyone. This left the slave women of that time with little if any options. Jacobs decided to utilize the only bit of power that she had and that was her sexuality. Because she couldn’t marry the man that she loved she would at least have children by a man that she found decent. This was a common situation that many slave women found themselves in. Because they were not allowed to marry a person of their choice they only had the option that Jacobs pursued or the option of being alone for the rest of their life. This episode in Jacobs work was written in the language commonly heard in the street and not necessarily read in books or newsprint. By writing this way she was able to show people who were not familiar with slavery exactly what that confrontation felt like. What it felt like to be her.
Even in popular fiction such as James Fennimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans his character Cora is left with little options. Cora is of mixed heritage and therefore, even though she is a respectable lady, she has no matrimonial prospects. Cooper seems to extinguish the option of Cora and Uncas by killing them in the end. However even throughout the book Cora seems to have come to terms with her fate because she has no matrimonial aspirations, not even when Uncas comes into the picture. The vague language that Cooper uses to imply not only Cora’s background but the slight flirtation seems to represent the time, where these topics are not ordinarily talked about. This is just another example of the culture that defined someone’s whole life by the color of his or her skin.
Frederick Douglass was unable to marry until he escaped to freedom in his autobiography he writes, “At this time, Anna, my intended wife, came on; for I wrote to her immediately after my arrival at New York…” In this sentence without having to say it in words he has conveyed the sense of relief at now being in a position to marry the woman that he loves. Douglass knew how to use imagery and to create mood with his words. To convey the emotions that he not only wants the reader to feel, but the emotions that he felt himself.
These examples that I have talked about were not only revolutionary because of the subject matter but also because of the way they were written. The authors wrote with a great deal of emotion that is still felt today. These were issues that could not be written about with gentility. The word choices they made were intentional. Even though they were educated and well versed in writing techniques they still had to be true to the spirit of the work. These four examples illustrate how the institution of marriage was morphed into a mockery of itself. It no longer stood for a joining of two souls under the eye of God, it turned into another way to crush people’s spirit and deny people their right as a human being, which is to find love and celebrate it openly with whomever they choose. The prevalence of new writers that brought first hand knowledge to these areas of discussion opened many people’s minds to the tragedies and hardships that were being experienced. Literature became not only windows for America to see into new worlds but also a mirror to see its own faults. [NW]
"The Oppression of All That Are Not The Same"
After reading The Last of the Mohicans, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and "The Great Lawsuit" I have gained a very different view of the children of the Founding Fathers. Despite that I have taken upper -level American history and have read countless other stories from this period, until now I have not realized how ignorant rich, white men truly were of the other cultures around them. All my previous readings were from the rich white male class about this time period until now. The historical bias of the previous works I have read are disheartening and disappointing. In all of these works the portrayal of any other race, less fortunate, or women in that they are blissfully ignorant and that is a good thing, because it allows the wealthy white men to carry on however they please. As long as the other aspects of society were "indulged" (1642) life went smoothly. It was disappointing to realize the hypocrisy that was going on during this time period. What happened to "all men are created equal?" Were the men really that ignorant of what was truly going on or did they not want to acknowledge how they were treating anyone less than themselves by the constraints of what they believd qualified as a man? Men obviously meant just that men- and to be a man, one would have to be white and wealthy. The indians, slaves, and women were always in the background and were like baubles- useful at times, but then put or thrown away after they served their purpose. Why would they be so thrilled by that, "smiling" as they looked on to frivolous things such as dances and social gatherings to serious issues such as land possession and voting?
The native Americans deserved so much more respect that they ever received. Without their help the colonies would not have survived and there would most likely not even be a United States of America. Yet, what thanks did the native Americans receive from us? Disease, the Trail of Tears, and disrespect/ It is tragic that they were treated with such indifference- for Uncas and the others, I am surprised they even bothered to help the white men at all. That is why I can see why Magua and others like him were so resistant to the coming of European settlers.
The slaves had not been educated, but they were not stupid. They had common snse and knew the difference between what was wrong and what was right. They knew they were mistreated, yet without them, American trade would not have developed to the extent that it did. Their level of subservience to the white man is a sad thing to behold. There must have been a great fear put into them by the slave owners and traders in order for them not to revolt against such mistreatment. Unlike some Native Americans, it is if they knew any efforts of overcoming the system would result in falure.
Women throughout time have been repressed and viewed as a prize. Man realized this, but few did anything about it. "The Great Lawsuit" is not the first writing of its kind, but its strong use of language and structure, along with great examples is what makes this writing so powerful. Even in The Last of the Mohicans women are treated with indifference and as prizes. Cora is an exotic beauty and Alice is the poster child for the perfect little missus. Is it such a blow to a man's ego to not be in control over every aspect of his life? In all these cases ( with Native Americans, Slaves, and women), it appears to be true.
It is good that such details are mentioned in stories such as these, so modern America can truly see what life was like before leading up to the Civil War; it is time to remove the rose-colored glasses. [VN]
American Renaissance: The Growth of a Nation
The most interesting thing from a cultural standpoint of the readings we have had so far this semester is to watch the logical progression of thought from the basic tenets of the Declaration of Independence to the ideals that lead to the logical conclusion of the civil rights movements of the 1900s. Starting with Irving, then Cooper and eventually Emerson and Thoreau, the slow expansion of “all men are created equal,” forced itself into the heads of the thinkers of the era and gave rise to the philosophies we still embrace as a society.
At the beginning, there was Irving and his incorrigible Rip Van Winkle, the man who sleeps through the American Revolution and returns to a world more suited to his personality. Although Rip Van Winkle doesn’t really embrace the practicality and hard working ethics of the puritan culture that gave rise to the original colonies, he can be shown as a parallel to their independence from the Empire where the sun never sets. His circumstance is comic and not representative of the struggle involved in liberation from England, but the domineering nature of his wife that wants to bend him to her will, leaves him “henpecked” and “obedient” (954). Rip nevertheless moves to the beat of his own drum, he is independent and cheerful without the straight-laced qualities of a man of virtue, he is well-liked by everyone nonetheless and is content with himself. Irving is clearly linking independence and happiness, and the notion of community as containing a higher substance than the notion of servility and selfishness, aristocratic and monarchical philosophies.
So now we have a free person in a community of free people and so begins the extension of the dominion of the free and the definition of “person” with Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans. Although Cooper doesn’t seem to want the races to mix, he certainly paints the other races in a favorable light. First there is an admission that the ways of the white people are not necessarily honorable or honest and that some of those that we look down upon can possess more virtue, “and I am willing to own that my people have many ways, of which…I can’t approve” (31). Indeed, even his descriptions of the Indian characters such as Uncas and Magua, they are self-contained and powerful, if dangerous, yet the writing is not without admiration, “For a single instant, his…wary glance met the wondering look of the other, and then changing its direction, partly in cunning, and partly in disdain” (18). The description of Magua paints him in a light of dangerous, wild nobility, his aloofness highlights his pride and competence.
So we are left with the beginnings of equality amongst men (and as the other writing show, later women and black men) and finally we come to Emerson and Thoreau. Emerson begs you to ignore custom for the sake of coming to your own conclusions in his introduction to Nature. “Why should we not also enjoy original relation to the universe?” (1110) Influenced by the writings of Carlyle, he doesn’t believe that we should conform to the past simply because it has always been thus, but to move ever-forward. Thoreau goes even further in Resistance to Civil Government and Backgrounds to Civil Disobedience, in essence he separates the entity of government from human will and gives all the responsibility and blame back to the citizens, “It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the west. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished” (1858). Thoreau and Emerson teach us to challenge the fences, just in case there’s something better on the other side. While they accept the excellence of the present, they are always looking towards a future. In the case of Thoreau, his community experiment would fail, but were he alive today he would still challenge us to experiment again and again.
The chronological nature of the readings we had the first part of the semester highlight the growth of thought and very easily show how they lead into the great upheavals of the 20th century. One can only hope they continue. [MB]
Cultural/Historical: Who Decides Who’s Who?
Literature, regardless of culture or time, has served many purposes. Of all these only two remain constant. The first is what most people think of and that is to entertain or distract the reader. The second, which may lie under layers of character study and plot progression, is the expression of the author’s views. In modern times it is common for literature to include any view imaginable. Throughout history, however, different periods can be represented by particular views expressed in their literature. The one view overwhelmingly represented in pre Civil War America is that of equality. Slaves were hungry for freedom, women wanted equal rights of men, and Native Americans wanted their country back. What ties these three objectives together is the theme of equality. All of these views are represented in literature of the early eighteen hundreds. Though all expressed in the same time period there were many different ways and literary styles suited to each.
Sojourner Truth, for her work with the women’s rights movement, chooses the method of direct persuasion. Though she technically did not write anything her spoken words, when written, represent some of the finest literature of the women’s rights movement and the time period. Perhaps it is because she could not read or write that she was able to express her views in such a concise and persuasive manner. Her emotional and blunt statements such as when she says, “I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man” are a very “in your face” kind of persuasion. Part of what makes this so unusual is that in the early eighteen hundreds it was uncommon for women to voice any objection to the doings of men especially if the woman was black and speaking constantly and publicly as Truth was. This was a time when may authors felt it necessary to conceal their views behind fiction and this woman would just come out and say whatever was on her mind. This undoubtedly spoke to the hearts of many and was an important factor in the women’s rights movement.
Another important author who, like Truth, did not disguise his opinion behind fiction was Frederick Douglass. Unlike Truth, however, Douglass did not simply say exactly what he was thinking. He did choose to put his views into a story. The story, however, was not one of fiction. It was the story of his life. He uses emotion and the heartbreaking stories of plantation life to express his views against slavery and appeal to the reader to share his feelings. With lines such as, “he commenced to lay on the heavy cowskin, and soon the warm, red blood (amid heart-rending shrieks from her, and horrid oaths from him) came dripping to the floor” he evokes powerful emotion. This scene about the whipping of his aunt, and others like it, in Douglass’ autobiography are important to his kind of persuasion. A story such as this told in fiction would surely touch the hearts of many. What makes this all the more powerful is that it is a real story of a real beating that Douglass’ real aunt received. To read it and understand it as fiction is one thing but to sit, and read, and think about this kind of thing really happening is liable to evoke abolitionist sentiments in many readers and that is precisely what Douglass was hoping for in telling his story.
Though Douglass and Truth rely on truth and honesty to convey their point, and genuinely succeed, that is not to say that a work of fiction could not do the same if skillfully written. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper is one such work of fiction. As a work of fiction the story cannot rely on an immediate attachment to characters and the association of reality on the part of the reader. The reason fiction only works to persuade when carefully and skillfully written is that, though it is fiction, the characters feel real and the reader feels an attachment to them. If Cooper just said that all people should be equal the reader would be left asking why. What he does in forming a bond between reader and character is eliminate the need for the reader to object or question the need for equality. Throughout the novel Cooper portrays the mixed race Cora as brave and at home in nature. Both of these traits considered admirable at the time. He also portrays her male counterpart, the Mohican Uncas as a genuinely kind hearted, while still brave and enduring as the last of his kind, man. Because of the building up of these admirable traits throughout the novel the reader develops a relationship with the characters. Upon the deaths of Cora and Uncas Colonel Munro says, “Say to these kind and gentle females, that a heart-broken and failing man, returns them his thanks. Tell them, that the Being we all worship, under different names, will be mindful of their charity; and that the time shall not be distant, when we may assemble around his throne, without distinction of sex, or rank, or colour!” He expresses the idea that all people should be considered equal and because of the building up of two very diverse characters the reader feels no need to question that statement.
There are indeed many groups in the time period striving for equality as well as many ways of expressing this desire through many different forms of literature. It does not seem that any one way works better than another, but it is for certain that literature has the power to change the minds of almost anyone if written the right way. [JH]