Puritanism in American Literature Essay - 1149 Words

Puritanism in American Literature The Puritans had a large influence in American literature and still influence moral judgment and religious beliefs in the United States to this day. Puritan writing was used to glorify God and to relate God more directly to our world. Puritan literature was commonly a realistic approach to life. â€Å"Puritanism as a historical phenomenon and as a living presence in American life has enriched American literature in ways far too numerous to detail here.† (G. Perkins B. Perkins Phillip Leininger 888) Puritanism is a collection of many different religious and political beliefs. Common styles of Puritan writing are protestant, Calvinist, purposiveness, and the writings also directly reflected the†¦show more content†¦Puritans also believed in typology, the belief that Gods intentions are present in human action and in natural phenomenon. Failures to understand these intentions are human limitations. (â€Å"American Puritanism: A Brief In troduction†) In 1620, William Bradford formed the Plymouth Plantation with a group of Europeans that came with him to America. In only a year, their number of survivors decreased by half. Bradford kept a journal that chronicled the first 30 years of Plymouth Colony. Plain speech was the high literary value of this society, as expressed by William Bradford, who enjoined â€Å"a plain style, with singular regard to the simple truth in all things.† (The Influence of Puritanism on American Literature†) In this journal, he exhibited diplomacy and integrity, the ability to assure the colony’s survival, and made a contribution in avoiding potential disasters. His principles established religious freedom and self-government that later shaped American colonial government. John Winthrop wrote A Modell of Christian Charity either before he crossed into America in 1630 or along his journey to the New World. In this book, the struggles that were to be faced in the New W orld are discussed along with Winthrop’s ideas and plan’s to overcome them. Winthrop was considered to be a contributor to the concept of American exceptionalism, the idea that the New World is unique to other countries by ideology based on laissez-faire and egalitarianism along withShow MoreRelatedThe Influence of Puritanism on American Literature1234 Words   |  5 Pageswhich is popularly known as American Puritanism. A dominant factor in American life, Puritanism was one of the most enduring and shaping influences in American thought and American literature. Without true understanding of Puritanism, there would be no real understanding of American literature and American culture. ¡Ã‚ °Puritanism had spoken for the preeminence of the individual, for freedom from oppressive governments, and for the value of learning and education. It led Americans to examine their beliefsRead MoreJemimah Ejikeme,. Professor Clack. En 207A. 27 March 20171320 Words   |  6 PagesP uritan: Is the 21st Century America influenced by the Puritan ideology? American Puritanism began from a crusade for reform in the Church of England, which had a great socio-economic, political, theological and ethical influence on American as a Nation. A close focus on how the 21st century America emulated the Puritan moral/value and how these vales has been intertwined with the thinking process the average American. This comparative writing will enumerate on a brief history of the PuritansRead MorePuritanism And Its Negative Portrayal Of The Body1641 Words   |  7 PagesPuritanism: Resisting The Body’s Temptations Puritanism has been a strong influence on American Literature and it still is to this day. Puritans have shaped our culture immensely with their art that represents their beliefs so clearly. One of the most fascinating things we have come to learn about the Puritans is the constant battle they faced each day. Puritans struggled to stay true to their religion due to everyday temptations. One of the biggest temptations would be The Body. We can identifyRead More Puritanism in The Scarlet Letter, Bartleby, and Daisy Miller1375 Words   |  6 Pagessociety would experience benefits if a conversion to Puritanism was made or drown in its waters. Because Puritanism conformed to such austere guidelines and beliefs that almost completely obliterated the individuals role in the social unit and because the foundation of the religion is to essentially kill freedom and liberty in order to create a social purity that is virtually impossible for humans to achieve, I believe that Puritanism would only add to the degradation of society today. TheRead MoreNathaniel Hawthornes Literature During Early America1560 Words   |  7 PagesNathaniel Hawthornes literature exhibits the influence of many factors. Much of his literature addresses Puritan culture in early America, commonly focusing on the shortcomings and hypocrisies that became apparent during the numerous witch hunts. Many of his works are allegorical, using the Puritan setting to portray his own ideas about ancestry, history, and religion. While The Scarlet Letter and House of the Seven Gables are among Hawthornes most known works, he produced a large sum of workRead More Comparing Romanticism in Plymouth Plantation, Birthmark, and Rappaccinis Daughter1140 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚     Puritanism and Romanticism differ in style, religious references, and plot content. Puritanism began to flourish with strict God-fearing Calvinists who had fled to America to escape religious persecution in Europe. With writers such as William Bradford and Edward Taylor, Puritan literature focuses on Gods role in the lives of the people and adopts a simple religious style of writing. Romanticism was introduced to Americans in the nineteenth century, delivering a fresh literary and artisticRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown: The Evils of Puritanism Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesPuritanism dominated 17th century history and literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne born in 1804 was an American writer who sought to resolve his conflicts with Puritanism through his writing. Hawthorne wrote several stories showing the world the horrors of the Puritan faith and the isolation of individuals who failed to uphold the faith. For Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown illustrates the difference between Puritan teaching and practicing and reflects his own guilt about the mistreatment of men at theRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter1187 Words   |  5 PagesPuritanism in Red Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter shows the early view of Puritanism by concentrating on sin, guilt, and its effects on society. Nathaniel Hawthorne conveyed a dark and romantic style of writing in â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, impacting the society by focusing on the concepts of romanticism. The Scarlet Letter is considered a classic book and is still read today. Nathaniel Hathorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804. He was the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth ClarkRead MoreThe 17th Century Puritan Influence on the Writings of Thomas Paine1578 Words   |  6 Pagesto invoke the traditional American stance of Puritanism in writing Common Sense to reach his intended audience the commoners of the colonies. In order to properly demonstrate that Common Sense contains a number of elements that were distinctive to and fairly endemic of 17th century Puritanism, it is first necessary to explore just exactly what those elements are and how they would come to characterize this type of literature as a whole. In many ways, Puritan literature resembled the religion uponRead MoreHistorical Journalism At The Salem Witch Trials863 Words   |  4 PagesHistorical Journalism at the Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials are one of the best known outbreaks of hysteria and fear in American history. This event began when Betty Parris, who was a daughter of Salem’s church’s minister, and Abigail Williams, who was her cousin, experiences several occasions of odd, violent behavior that they blamed on witchcraft. They accused two white women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, as well as a slave, Tituba, of practicing witchcraft in the village. The three

Grapes Of Wrath Essay Prompts Example For Students

Grapes Of Wrath Essay Prompts The Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930s live under. The novel tells of one families migration west to California through the great economic depression of the 1930s. The Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possession of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. The novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to California. How they survive the cruelty of the land owners that take advantage of them, their poverty and willingness to work. The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbeck adoration of the land, his simple hatred of corruption resulting from materialism (money) and his abiding faith in the common people to overcome the hostile environment. The novel opens with a retaining picture of nature on rampage. The novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature. The theme is one of man verses a hostile environment. His body destroyed but his spirit is not broken. The method used to develop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in the novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end. As each symbol is presented through the novel they show examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel. The opening chapter paints a vivid picture of the situation facing the drought-stricken farmers of Oklahoma. Dust is described a covering everything, smothering the life out of anything that wants to grow. The dust is symbolic of the erosion of the lives of the people. The dust is synonymous with deadness. The land is ruined ^way of life (farming) gone, people ^uprooted and forced to leave. Secondly, the dust stands for ^profiteering banks in the background that squeeze the life out the land by forcing the people off the land. The soil, the people (farmers) have been drained of life and are exploited: The last rain fell on the red and gray country of Oklahoma in early May. The weeds became a dark green to protect themselves from the suns unyielding rays. The wind grew stronger, uprooting the weakened corn, and the air became so filled with dust that the stars were not visible at night. (Chp 1) As the chapter continues a turtle, which appears and reappears several times early in the novel, can be seen to stand for survival, a driving life force in all of mankind that cannot be beaten by nature or man. The turtle represents a hope that the trip to the west is survivable by the farmer migrants (Joad family). The turtle further represents the migrants struggles against nature/man by overcoming every obstacle he encounters: the red ant in his path, the truck driver who tries to run over him, being captured in Tom Joads jacket: And now a light truck approached, and as it came near, the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it. The driver of the truck works for a large company, who try to stop the migrants from going west, when the driver attempts to hit the turtle it is another example of the big powerful guy trying to flatten or kill the little guy. Everything the turtle encounters trys its best to stop the turtle from making its westerly journey. Steadily the turtle advances on, ironically to the southwest, the direction of the mirgration of people. The turtle is described as being lasting, ancient, old and wise: horny head, yellowed toenails, indestructible high dome of a shell, humorous old eyes. (Chp 1) The driver of the truck, red ant and Tom Joads jacket are all symbolic of nature and man the try to stop the turtle from continuing his journey westward to the promise land. .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .postImageUrl , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:hover , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:visited , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:active { border:0!important; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:active , .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584 .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0d8862d275f4e1f3c49f8ade0863e584:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: More sinned against than sinning Essay The turtle helps to develop the theme by showing its struggle against life/ comparing it with the Joad struggle against man. The grapes seem to symbolize both bitterness and copiousness. Grandpa the oldest member of the Joad family talks of the grapes as symbols of plenty; all his descriptions of what he is going to do with the grapes in California suggest contentment, freedom, the goal for which the Joad family strive for: Im gonna let the juice run down ma face, bath in the dammed grapes (Chp 4) The grapes that are talked about by Grandpa help to elaborate the theme by showing that no matter how nice everything seems in California t he truth is that their beauty is only skin deep, in their souls they are rotten. The rotten core verses the beautiful appearance. The willow tree that is located on the Joads farm represents the Joad family. The willow is described as being unmovable and never bending to the wind or dust. The Joad family does not want to move, they prefer to stay on the land they grew up on, much the same as the willow does. The willow contributes to the theme by showing the unwillingness of the people to be removed from their land by the banks. The latter represents the force making them leave their homes. Both of these symbols help contribute to the theme by showing a struggle between each other. The tree struggles against nature in much the same way that the Joad family struggles against the Bank and large companies. The rains that comes at the end of the novel symbolize several things. Rain in which is excessive, in a certain way fulfills a cycle of the dust which is also excessive. In a way nature has restored a balance and has initiated a new growth cycle. This ties in with other examples of the rebirth idea in the ending, much in the way the Joad family will grow again. The rain contributes to the theme by showing the cycle of nature that give a conclusion to the novel by showing that life is a pattern of birth and death. The rain is another example of nature against man, the rain comes and floods the living quarters of the Joads. The Joads try to stop the flood of their home by yet again are forced back when nature drops a tree causing a flood of water to ruin their home forcing them to move. In opposite way rain can helpful to give life to plants that need it to live. Depending on which extreme the rain is in, it can be harmful or helpful. This is true for man, man can become both extremes bad or good depending on his choosing. Throughout the novel there are several symbols used to develop the theme man verses a hostile environment. Each symbol used in the novel show examples of both extremes. Some represent man, that struggles against the environment, others paint a clear picture of the feelings of the migrants. As each symbol is presented chronologically through the novel, they come together at the end to paint a clear picture of the conditions, treatment and feelings the people (migrants) as they make there journey through the novel to the West. Bibliography The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck