Individualism in Early American Literature Essay - 1099 Words

Early American literature is full of the spirit of individualism. This spirit can best be described by Emerson when he says, Good men must not obey the laws too well. This view has long been an inspiration for future generations of Americans to start some of the greatest reformations of our history. Among the literary units that show support for Emersons idea, there are three that are more powerful at conveying this spirit. The Revolutionaries, the Transcendentalists, and the Dark Romantics, all support Emersons quote because they show that a truly righteous individual is not one that conforms to societys standards, but rather judges his/her actions based on his/her reason and what he/she has discovered†¦show more content†¦Thoreau instead offers an alternative, The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think is right (Thoreau 250). This relates back to Emersons idea of self-reliance; a person, according to Thoreau, must be reliant on himself/herself and not on the government. The power of change is in the people, the government does not keep people free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate (Thoreau 250). Thoreaus view on the importance of the individual over the government supports Emersons quote because a good persons laws are entirely based on what the person has decided right for himself/herself. Although the Dark Romantics do not have the optimism if the transcendentalists, they still believe in the importance of a persons independence from accepted standards, as evident in Hawthornes The Ministers Black Veil. Mr. Hooper is the only person who is willing to admit the truth that every person in his community has secret sin, represented by his black veil. However, the society is afraid to admit this truth; not one ventured to put the plain question to Mr. Hooper, wherefore he did this thing (Hawthorne 303). Although this admittance makes a Mr. Hooper a fearful person for the community, he is only feared because the congregation is actually afraid of its own secret sinfulness. WhenShow MoreRelatedThe Emergence Of Self Concept1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe Emergence of Self Throughout our history the idea of self has developed and proved to be a dominant concept that Americans have come to understand. Not defined or found in lineage, religion, or history, the concept of self is defined by a collection of values. These values and principles are rooted in individualism, self-actualization, and self-reliance where people are able to fulfill their own destiny and believe in the promise that through ward work and determination life can be differentRead MoreTranscendentalism And The American Renaissance1693 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Renaissance was a revolution for literature and writers in America itself that emphasized cultural authority. The American Renaissance took place throughout the nineteenth century, primarily in the early segment of this era. According to, The Norton Anthology of American Literature, â€Å"the idea of American Renaissance has been so influential in part of the literature of this time period, and was crucial to the deve lopment of American literary traditions† (4). This created a diverseRead MoreSocial Anxiety : America s National Identity991 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendental thought is responsible for generating an American ideology of individualism, civil disobedience, and an emphasis on Man s individual affiliation with God. Within a generation of the revolution, American authors were initiating an exploration of an emergent American sensibility with a neoteric literary conviction. This new authorship of philosophical thought is characterized as â€Å"literary nationalism† and is furthermore expressed as an American Renaissance, yielding intellectually influentialRead MoreAnalysis Of Our Divided Political Heart By John F. Kennedy Essay777 Words   |  4 Pages† he talks about how American citizens cannot agree on who we are because we cannot agree on whom we have been. The American custom, Dionne expresses, points not to be self-sufficient and selfish, but to even out our compassion of individual freedom and our loyalty to the public. Understanding of our nation’s history, Dionne shows an insightful examination of how self-reliance is toxic to our present political ambience. He participates the Tea Party’s involvement with American history, but also showsRead MoreSteven Cran es Role in the Literary Revolution and an Analysis of The Red Badge of Courage1210 Words   |  5 PagesIf it takes a revolutionary to topple the general way of thinking, Stephen Crane is that revolutionary for American literature. The dominant literary movement before Crane’s time, Romanticism, originated in Germany and England as a response to classicism and soon dispersed worldwide. (McKay 766). Romanticism stressed the power of the human conscience and the intensity of emotion. It was essentially a spiritual movement, fiercely conflicting with the rigid rules and standards of classicism and theRead MoreThe Age Of The Enlightenment1646 Words   |  7 Pagespassionate, individualistic expression of the late 18th and early 19th century in his highly influential pamphlet entitled Common Sense. In this short, easily accessible pamphlet, Thomas Paine uses excellent command of the English language to inspire passionate hatred for the tyrannical English government and love for the American colonies among the common people. Due to the emphasis on individualism, Paine’s perception of the American colonies is that of an individual separate from England thatRead MoreThe Individualism Of The American Colonies1693 Words   |  7 Pagespassage, Paine emphasizes how the unique individualism of the American colonies cannot exist under Great Britain. While it may be a rational and more peaceful decision to remain under Great Britain’s control, the oppression of the American colonies’ individualism is one that goes against common sense and is a situation that calls for a passionate revolution. The emphasis on individualism and passionate expression of the self during the late 18th and early 19th century is also exemplified in theRead MoreA Metanarrative Is Described By Professor Worthington As1667 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribed by Professor Worthington as â€Å"a big story that causes a culture to survive, ties everything together, and gives us a universal truth†. Understanding America’s past is vital to understanding both the values of the nation and the country’s literature. James Faulconer defines the metanarrative as â€Å"a story we tell about ourselves, what we do, what is expected, its is a story that links our smaller stories together and gives us unity, social, psychological, and intellectual†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The values and idealsRead MoreEssay about Emily Dickinson and Walt Witman Clash803 Words   |  4 Pagesbecoming more selective and exact, has become a much more broad and open minded classification of literature. From Its beginnings in romanticist Puritan literature, to its more modernistic function on present society, poetry has become a way to blend the psychological side of human intellect, with the emotional side of human intuition and curiosity. Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were two early poets from the late 19th century. Unlike Walt, Emily liked to write at home, she was a more secludedRead MoreSocial Darwinism: The Art of Collectivism Essay1222 Words   |  5 Pagesthe principle of natural selection, postulating that those who are eliminated in the struggle for existence are the unfit† (â€Å"Survival of the fittest†, Dictionary.com). The American society, once based on collectivism, has changed drastically and is now based on individualism. The shift can be easily shown through works of literature, art, and in the everyday actions of the ones around us. There was once an atmosphere of humility and love, the atmosphere transformed into a black hole of of arrogance