When I enrolled in this class I wasn’t too sure as to what it would entail. I figured from the title, Survey of American Literature, it obviously would be a class filled with reading old literature. In which it was, but it was also so much more. Not only did I read the literature, I learned from it. I was able to connect to those who lived and breathed in the past. It was great to be able to develop a sense of history and personality from the people in the stories. Literature gives us a body of tradition that is held in common.
We began the semester by speaking about a three miles per hour world. I had heard this term before but I was able to put it in a better prospective from the literature I read. I learned that the world we live in today is very much different from the just beginning America. This modern life would not be the way it is now if it weren’t for the people that came before us.
In the past 16 weeks, we have had to read many short stories, essays, and political papers. Our first assignment was to read Letters from an American written by a French American Hector St. John De Crèvecœur. He had written a series of twelve letters covering a wide range of topics, from the emergence of an American identity to discussions concerning the slave trade. We read Letter III entitled, “What is American?” which compared people to plants and helps the read have an idea of whether or not the soil has anything to do with the prosperity of the person living there.
Our first writing assignment was to write a short essay to an immigrant explaining what it was like to be an American. I decided to form my essay as a step by step process beginning from when the immigrant left his family and a life he only knew to start anew in a foreign world. I explained the change of landscapes and cultures, from the rolling hills to the Rocky Mountains. I felt like this immigrant also needed to know the reality of America. It’s not always flowers and sunshine. There are people, and not just in America, who will try to be conniving and commit thievery. But again, not everyone is fighting on the wrong side. There are plenty of people who are gracious and kind.
What then is the American, this new man?...He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He has become an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all races are melted into a new race of man, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. Americans are the western pilgrims. (from "Letter III," 1782)
This assignment made me remember what this country was built on; hard work and determination. We are all born from immigrants who came to build a better life; many of them starting with absolutely nothing to their name. It amazes me how we as Americans have lost that concept. We have people who don’t want to work and think their government should pay their way. There are people who are born into money and never know what it’s like to earn a dollar. It’s very upsetting but the only way we can change this is by teaching our future generations. They are our future and will determine how this country will turn out.
American Romanticism accelerated the spread of democracy, industrialization and created an influx in immigration. People began to move westward with a strong sense of optimism and hope. People also began to feel a strong desire for intellect. As the class progressed in the Romantic Literature Era, we began to acclimate ourselves with Ralph Waldo Emerson. In Self Reliance, Emerson tells us to trust our own inner voice and be you. We were to write an essay on our “inner self” and who we thought we could be if we listened. This essay allowed me to reflect on my life. It helped me determine if my past and current decisions were actually for my own benefit. It opened my eyes to where I want my future to go. In the end, it allowed me to be myself.
“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
Outside of the literature, in the classroom, I found it very hard to take efficient notes only because I would get so caught up in the history behind the literature and the stories of the people within. It was all enrapturing. Now, I do have a notebook filled with notes mind you, but they were mainly for helping me to understand the literature. I wanted a background for the things I was reading so I could try to connect to it. Some of the literature we read in class was somewhat difficult to connect to. Some pieces I would have to read out loud in order for my brain to concentrate hard enough on what was in front of me. All in all, I have learned a great deal from this class.
American Romanticism was both imitative and innovative. There was an emphasis on freedom, individualism, and imagination. People of the Romantic Era had a profound love for nature as a source of knowledge, a refuge from the present, and a revelation of God.
As we transgressed from the Romantic period, we began to discuss the major social issues that arose in this time frame such as slavery and women’s rights. It has always amazed me that animal abuse was illegal before domestic and child abuse. Our country has come so far and yet we still have so far to go.
We’ve read letters from indentured servants begging for a life they once knew and describing the horrific conditions of slavery. We’ve read about Henry “Box” Brown who, in order to escape from turmoil, packaged himself in a crate and literally shipped himself to a free state. I felt an emotional connection to these people as I’m sure many people do. To have lived through a time when it just felt like the world was full of evil and no one was there to help you. It had to be the worst feeling in the world and I hope that no one ever has to experience that feeling again. But, I’m sure it will…
Reading literature wasn’t the only task in this class. We were asked to analyze a painting of Walt Whitman, we watched a Claymation of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, which left a lasting impression on my mind. We have watched several videos that all helped me understand the literature better. We have read many different pieces this semester, from Hector St. John De Crèvecœur to Edgar Allan Poe, Benjamin Franklin and his Way to Wealth to Mary Rowlandson and her captivity. It truly has been an experience.
The New World was imagined very differently from reality. Adventurers had no idea what they would experience when they first stepped foot on North American soil. Completely unaware of the native people who had lived on this land for thousands of years, and the Europeans would eventually be their demise. At the end of the semester, we learned about Native American history and literature. I love the Native culture because it is so rich. It’s rich in history, love, war, determination, hard work, and soul. It amazes me how these cultures began traditions, were so advanced in specialized trade and architecture. Natives had a way of life, which I feel, may never be experienced again in the modern world.
One of the most important inventions of man has to be the printing press. Without this, word of mouth would still be the only means of communication. Our world has been completely altered by Literature. We are able to write down our experiences so they aren’t tarnished throughout the years. We must learn from literature because it is our History. Literature is intelligence. I will wholly encourage learning through literature within the future generations. Reading encourages imagination and self-intuition not to mention the advancements in speech and comprehension, especially in young children.
Now comes the part where we discuss my final grade. With great contemplation, I feel as though I deserve an overall letter grade of B for this class. While in class, we were often given the opportunity to discuss the literature and history behind it. During these discussions with my group, I feel as though I encouraged thinking and opportunity. Outside of the discussions, I will say that I played a very small part in participation. This is only because I was so engulfed in the lectures and stories I just sat and tried to take it all in. I have read all of the literature required for this class and felt like it has been a great success. There have been times when I did miss a couple classes but this was due to my erratic work schedule.
I feel like I don’t deserve an A because there were some assignments that I did not complete, therefore, I do not deserve a top grade. I don’t feel like I deserve a C only because the work that I have completed has been very professional and on time. I kept up with the blogging, while not every day, as best as I could. Just recently, Kendall, Luke, and I, went on an extra credit field trip day around Richmond. It was a blast! I am not from Richmond and was completely unaware of the history in this town. I will definitely be looking into investigating further into the rich history of Richmond.
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
~Thomas Jefferson
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