Stephen Crane

Not only was Stephen Crane an author, but we was also a well known journalist. He covered important topics, such as the slum life in New York City and the impact of immigration, during his journalism career. As a journalist, Crane had ethics to follow. He was known for speaking honestly, openly, and realistically in his writings. He covered the topics that he found to be looked over; the stories that he felt deserved more spotlight. His job was to inform people on what was taking place in their society. Henry David Thoreau took similar action by speaking up against slavery in Civil Disobedience.

The Red Badge of Courage is written form the point of view of a young soldier. This boy has to put up with the unpleasant conditions, such as exhausting heat and extremely loud gun shots, and the strict guidelines that came with being a soldier. No child is ready or attentive enough to be in such a dangerous position. That is most likely why this young boy often had his mind wandering in all directions except that of a war. He did, however, have a passion. A passion for fighting that came from the anger of being in the forceful position that the military placed him in. Stephen Crane writes, “He had a mad feeling against his rifle, which could only be used against one life at a time” (Crane 493).

Stephen Crane chose to uncover the issues that were ignored or hidden by discussing them in his pieces and opening up what is really happening to his readers. One critic says, “Crane’s writing reflects major forces that transformed American culture in the last part of the nineteenth century” (Sorrentino).  He wasn’t just backing up the issues that were already being discussed. He was traveling deeper and finding those that had not yet been discovered. Had it not been for his journalistic values of uncovering knowledge and sticking up for its sources, who knows how many of history’s issues would have been found.

Crane, Stephen. “The Red Badge of Courage". Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 493. Print.

Sorrentino, Paul. "Crane, Stephen." In Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds. Encyclopedia of American Literature, Revised Edition: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, Volume 3. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008.

Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin grew up in a household of women. After her father passed away, Chopin was raised by her widowed mother, her grandmother, and her great grandmother. Being raised by three generations of strong women was likely an inspiration behind Chopin’s prominent views on women and their role in society. She is considered to be the first American woman that spoke and wrote openly about her feelings on the unequal treatment of women (Chopin). In the novel, An Awakening, the depressed wife describes her somber mood or feelings to be ‘a shadow’ (Chopin). She kept this shadow hidden from her husband and found crying to be the only release she had for her feelings. It’s hard to imagine Chopin writing this because she was so vocal and open with her feelings. It’s understandable that other women during this time period would have been threatened or embarrassed to stand up and say they felt the same way as Chopin. The hidden secret in An Awakening could have been used for many women to admire and relate to. The wife in the story describes the devotion between her and her husband as being ‘uniform’ (Chopin). This description shows how common and possibly plain their love was. Again, this relationship could have been common during the time of dominant men, and therefore relatable to women readers. Women were looked down upon by men, not having the right to vote or even make their own decisions. They weren't given proper jobs because it was thought that the woman should stay in the home and raise the children. Chopin disagreed with these thoughts and, she believed a woman could hold her own in a relationship. Kate Chopin’s frank personality and strong willed opinions are greatly comparable to those of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Along with acting upon their beliefs, each author portrayed the struggle and unequal writes of certain groups in the writings.

 Chopin, Kate. "An Awakening". Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 491. Print.

Willa Cather

Willa Cather is commonly remembered as the author of My Antonia, a novel discussing the decisions and regrets made within an immigrant family. Although it was written before My Antonia, Cather’s A Wagner Matinee deals with a similar regret. Clark, the young narrator, visits with his aunt while she is in town for business. He reminisces over the great relationship he had with his aunt as a boy. She was always helping him with chores and school work, but she hesitated before helping him pursue music. She had once enjoyed and taught music in he city, but she married and started a new, rural life—one without music. Clark once practiced an instrument in front of his aunt and told him, “Don’t love it so well, Clark, or it will be taken away from you” (Cather). As his aunt arrived in the city, Clark surprised her with tickets to go see the Symphony Orchestra. His aunt’s reaction to the tickets and the show itself was half hearted. In fact, she became depressed by the event and filled with sorrow. She did not want to leave the symphony, and it became obvious that the poor woman regretted the country lifestyle that she chose to live. One critic wrote Cather’s portrayal to be a “severe motion sickness” (Werlock). She wrote, “Georgiana is not just transplanted but catapulted into a once-familiar but now completely foreign cultural and geographical landscape” (Werlock).

One man once said, “You can never regret a decision because at one time it was all you ever wanted.” As citizens, and human beings for that matter, we are provided the gift to make our own decisions. Because they were leaders of the Transcendentalist period, Emerson and Thoreau truly believed in making one’s own decisions and having one’s own opinions. Although Clark’s aunt may not be happy with the choice she made to move out of the city and leave her music behind, she has to face the consequences, whether good or bad, that comes with decision making. Whether they ended up in jail or a renounced activist, Emerson and Thoreau considered the consequences before taking the leap.

Cather, Willa. "A Wagner Matinee". Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 521-526. Print.

Werlock, Abby H. P. "'A Wagner Matinée'." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

Robert E. Lee

In almost every assigned reading of the Emerson-Thoreau project, the author has foreseen a war between the north and south regions of the United States. They often hint that there is tension between these two sides, yet they claim that they aren’t pleased with the idea of a war. In a letter written to his son, Robert E. Lee says he feels as if the North has betrayed the South (Lee). Because of the abolition movements that the North have created, Lee feels the need to support his home, the South. He claims, “It is the principle I contend for, not individual or private benefit” (Lee). Judging by his written tone of voice and emotion, it is clear that Robert E. Lee was a proud man. He felt strongly about protecting his home, and when one has such a strong passion, they will do anything to support it. As Thoreau did for slavery, Robert E. Lee fought for his beliefs. Both men were affected by the actions taking place in their society, so they each found a way to fight for their cause. The tension between the north and the south did eventually lead to a war. Many were quick to step up to defend their region and their livelihood. Robert E. Lee stepped to the very forefront as a general for the Confederate states. In the letter,Lee tells his son, "A Union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets, and in which strife and evilwar are to take the place of brotherly love and kindness, has no charm for me. I shall mourn for my country and for the welfare and progress of mankind" (Lee). Although there are passive ways to spread a message, ultimately,  war was the only way to protect the South for Lee. It's interesting how Lee can claim that weapons are a hideous part of society in his letter, yet just a short time later, he was fighting a war.

Lee, Robert E. "Letter to his Family". Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 382-385. Print.

Sojourner Truth

Before we look deep into the speech that Sojourner Truth gave at this women's convention, it is important to know the background information about what was currently happening in America. It is the year of 1851. People are fighting in every region of the country. Women are fighting in the north for their equal rights in the work force amongst other places. Negroes are fighting in the south for the somewhat similar, yet very different equal rights. In her speech, Sojourner Truth is trying to see where she fits in these protests as a black woman. She expects to receive the proper treatment every woman gets from a gentleman, but, as a negro, she isn't given it. In the speech, she repetitively asks, "Ain't I a woman?" (Halsall). One complaint given by a male is that women don't deserve this equal treatment becasue Christ was not a woman (Halsall). Because Truth was so good at backing up her opinions, she is quick to respond that if not for woman, Christ would not have been born (Halsall). During this era, women were not supposed to have intellect because it was not necessary for the jobs they had. Not to mention the fact that men could care less about a woman's opinion. For not having the opportunity to receive proper intellect, Sojourner is able to back up her ideas with great, supportive knowledge. By sharing her feelings on the rights of women, Sojourner Truth is exemplifying the philosophies of both Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson believed tha twe are all in control of our own self imrpovement, and Truth is speaking out to improve her rights as a female. Both Thoreau and Emerson believed that one should never conform to what is said to be correct if he or she is uncomfortable with it. Instead of continuing to accept that negro women don't receive that same treatment that white women do, Sojourner Truth openly discussed the issue to spread word of the problem.

Halsall, Paul. "Internet History Sourcebooks." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.

Spiritual Negro Songs

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to read the assigned stories, and I saw that they were anonymously written. It wasn’t until I found the stories that I realized why it was this way. Each of the three assigned readings and actually lyrics and are meant to be sung. They were sung by slaves, and are listed as anonymous because these songs were passed from generation to generation of workers. It’s very possible that the songs were learned through word of mouth and the true creator of them was never passed along with the lyrics. My favorite of the three songs, “Keep Your Hand on the Plow”, uses the plow, a machine often used by the colored workers, as a symbol for the gospel. It repeats, “Keep your hands on that plow, hold on” (“Keep Your Hands”). It’s a great message showing that by working hard and sticking with God, you will get through any task. It was music and lyrics like these that allowed the slaves to get through their long, hot days on the job. Both the other songs, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Go Down, Moses”, incorporate religion in their lyrics as well. Like I said before, religion was an important factor for the slaves because it was a reminder that no matter how low their situation, they were never alone and to continue looking for hope. One even demands, “Let us all in Christ be free, Let My people go” (“Swing Low”). I noticed early on how the writer calls them ‘My’ people, and I find that interesting. I assume that they related to each other being in the same situations and hoping for a better life. As with every song, the writer is trying to send a message to listeners. The creators of these songs were trying to send a message of strength to their fellow workers and a message of change to those listening. The transcendentalist incorporated messages of hope and change in their writings as well.

"Keep Your Hands On The Plow - GospelSongLyrics.Org." GospelSongLyrics.org - Lyrics and Music to All Your Favorite Gospel Songs. Web. 11 Feb. 2012.

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Lyrics." Scout Songs: Song Lyrics for Boy Scouts Songs, Girl Scouts Songs, and American Patriotic Songs. Web. 11 Feb. 2012.

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman’s Cavalry Crossing a Ford takes several read throughs to understand the details and plot of the poem. Judging b the title, the poem is set in a time of war, the Civil War to be exact. Besides the title, a reader can find the war symbols through the horses, which were used to travel and fight the war, along with the sound of instruments.  Unlike an intense militia scene, Cavalry Crossing a Ford has a feeling calmness and tranquility. Whitman describes the horse as loitering and having them stop for a drink. The idea that the war was in a slow pace gives a sense of stillness to the poem. The poem also includes the instruments and the horses as a form of figurative language. These items attract to the reader’s eyes and ears, making them examples of imagery. Many of the characteristics in Walt Whitman’s poem remind me to those of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was well-known for incorporating nature into his work. In fact, his most famous novel is titled Nature. Walt Whitman’s description of the landscape was very detailed (Whitman). He mentions green islands and a silvery river. Whitman also describes the colors not only on the land, but also on the flags. His detail of the horse also adds to the description of nature (Whitman). While the descriptions and details in the poem are heavy, Cavalry Crossing a Ford has a deeper message. One critic attempts to explain the message, “Rather, we are presented with the war on a microscopic scale, as the daily experience of the soldiers. There is no sense of where the regiment is coming from, or where they are going, which is how the individual soldier often feels about military life” (Casale). As soldiers, the main characters in the poem are fighting for what they believe in which is the philosophies behind several of the Transcendentalist writers. Thoreau and Emerson both had strong feelings that the fought for through their own writings.

Casale, Frank D. "'Cavalry Crossing a Ford'." Bloom's How to Write about Walt Whitman. New York: Chelsea House Publishing, 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Philadelphia: David McKay, [c1900]; Bartleby.com, 1999.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s “Second Inaugural Speech” was an attempt to make peace within the country. He felt that both political parties felt a war approaching, but neither knew what to do about it. The inevitable came, and war broke out between the Confederate States and the Union. Lincoln pointed out that even the slaves, who made up approximately one-eighth of the population, knew that the friction between the sides was about them. Abraham Lincoln discussed the same issues that Thoreau had with slavery. Neither man could understand how the slave owners could look to God and read his word yet continue to follow the unforgivable lives that they did. In fact, the very same slaves that were being beaten by these owners were looking to the same God in hopes of change.  In the “Second Inaugural Speech”, Lincoln says, “Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other” (Abraham). Although Lincoln didn’t agree with slavery, he chose not to make any big scenes about it like Henry David Thoreau. He did fight a war on behalf of the idea to free slaves, but he never broke any laws to stand up for the cause. He chose a more professional way to approach the situation by making speeches to share his feelings. One could argue that Thoreau, as a social outcast, was never given the opportunity to be looked at in a professional manner, so he had to be sent to jail just to get his message heard. No matter how different the social level of Thoreau and Lincoln, both men shared the same idea of a free country with free people within that country. Lincoln claims that he not only wants freedom, but he wants peace between people. Judging by the intense class levels of people and workers at this time, peace between all people would have been asking a lot. Lincoln ultimately says that it’s going to take all people working together to “bind up the nation’s wounds” (Abraham).

"Abraham Lincoln: Second Inaugural Address. U.S. Inaugural Addresses. 1989." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. 2011. Web. 08 Feb. 2012.

Frederick Douglass

Unlike Henry David Thoreau, Frederick Douglass respected his government and the leaders. Although he agreed to honor them, there were decisions that he disagreed with. Fourth of July is the day that America signed the Declaration of Independence, representing the country's freedom from European control. Frederick Douglass considers this freedom to be laughable considering the African Americans in America were in no way free. He says, "To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony" (Africans). As an ex slave, Frederick Douglass had strong feelings on the topic. Similar to Thoreau's pledge to not pay taxes that supported slavery, Douglass spoke out against the problem in America and made scenes of his own. Frederick Douglass's The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro simply states the confusion that he had with slavery. Douglass found it hard to believe that a country that had successfully fought for its own freedom continued to hold control over their own citizens. He claimed, "Standing there identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July" (Africans). Frederick  Douglass shared his opinions on slavery and backed them up with knowledge. He pointed out the beatings that were given to slaves, the selling and trading of the workers, and the tearing apart of families, all portraying as if the African American did not truly own their own body. Because of the importance of religion during this time period, Douglass is smart to show that God does not find such brutal behavior to be 'divine' (Africans). Even with his strong feelings towards slavery, Frederick Douglass still feels a pride for his country on this day. Not only is he excited for the triumphs the now free country has overcome, but he is also hopeful of what is to come for all citizens of America. 


"Africans in America/Part 4/Frederick Douglass Speech." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 07 Feb. 2012.