The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court by Mark Twain - Essay Example

Introduction The chapter of the book “The Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s court “by Mark Twain called “Battle of the Sand Belt” focuses on the protagonist Hank Morgan who narrowly escape execution and ponders about society, politics and human nature. He is on the run to establish a democratic public however he has a quest for power. This reading shows that the technology being a major invention of man instead of being a beneficial thing becomes a threat to human kind. The horribly modern war is the end note of this reading. Electricity, technology and expertise once considered essential for human benefit turns out to be a reason for his destruction. ( Thesis). Being a powerful novel it explain the impact of technology on American culture. Hank being a superintend and loyal citizen of Connecticut is taken from nineteenth century to 528 A.D after being hit by a crow bar. In his new time frame, Hank introduces technology and transforms its infrastructure. He establishes factories, public school, telegraph and telephone system and even West point military system. The technology has changed the power of the culture and it gave the people more capacity to cause more harm to society. The republicans force massacre people with bomb and electricity. The reading shows that technology has the power both construct and destroy a culture. Technology if landed in the hands of the wrong people, technology can be a worst weapon. The culture of a people can get sophisticated by technology but it even has the potential to make people more aggressive and brutal. Technology has close relationship with culture as the people are driven by technology can it can motivate people to be more power hungry. The people can abandon their culture and can take unfair advantage of the technology. The technology has made the culture of the sixth century to a capitalism state. The factors like ethics, religion and morality can be wiped out of a culture if technology is introduced. Twain built upon his observation how new electrical technology was being integrated into society. 1 ( pg 145) The technology can distort the culture of a country if used in an inappropriate manner. Technology has the capacity to make the people over ambitious and can make them fight for power and wealth. People can disown their beliefs and values and alienate themselves from their culture and can indulge more with technology and be remained in a fictional life. The people of the technological driven culture can be more selfish and self – oriented. The society loses the integrity and unity as people are more self – indulging and interacting more with technical devices. There is significant pairing of technology with death. Even though there is technology to connect people in real sense it is disconnecting people and corrupting human culture. The technology has definitely been a highlight of American life. The Americans are technology driven and the prosperity of the country can be contributed to technology. The American culture can be attached more to technology as they have cultures which give more importance to it. In every social function or entertainment technology takes an overpowering position. Moreover, the war tactics of America is what most relative to this historical moment. The military empowered by technology as mentioned by Mark Twain is the American response which can be connected to this historical moment. Modern mechanized warfare has become an identity of America in recent time which was a supernatural concept in earlier times. A generation later electricity still seemed dangerous and somehow linked to the supernatural. 2 (152) The imperialism and war agendas of America can be seen as a technology driven power hunger. The tyranny of modern technological terror is an American response that can be identified with the reading. The homicide brought about by Americans can be regarded as synonymous to the reading content. America being a democratic country is acting against the will and interest of its citizens. Technology should be used in favor of people and not as the story does. The capitalism and technological madness in America can be related to the reading. The massacre caused by America is not less than that evident in the novel. The imperialism of regulating and controlling the people with the aid of technology is an American response which identifies with this historical movement. Technology has been a major influencing factor in Cultural Revolution. Today people in all cultures are depended on technology. It has been highly beneficial to people but also it has created much of cultural alienation and destruction. Both in the story and American culture the technology has empowered people to fight for possession and wealth. In American society the technology has given them more domination over other cultures. Eastern culture is more of submissive in front of America and Europe and technology has created a division among people and culture. The American wars have been an exploitation of technology so is there military power. The image of the machine, like the image of the West, proved to be a complex symbol increasingly charged with contradictions and implications. 3 The story of Mark Twain “Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” is a warning to people about the hidden truths about technology and its impact of culture. Technology is dynamic but if not used in the right direction it can destroy human culture. In the story, people are going blind due to the modernization and want to use it to earn wealth, position and power. Technology has made America a hegemonic country and other cultures are suffering due to it. Culture is an identity of people around world and it should not be a barrier to humanity and can be upgraded with technological faculties. Communication facilities have helped people to connect across borders but the technological terror raised by weapon and bombs has made people scared of each other. Technology need to be culture stimulator and not a destroyer. 3.Trachtenberg, Alan. The Machine as Diety and Demon. New York: Hill and Wang, 1982 References What was electricity Trachtenberg, Alan. The Machine as Diety and Demon. New York: Hill and Wang, 1982 Read More