A Closer Look at the American Literature - Report Example

Anthology In the following anthology, several quotes have been selected primarily from novels written during the last portions of 19th century and the first portion of 20th century American literature. These novels all had something to say about the transition of the west from the wide open prairies that were arduously crossed prior to the Gold Rush to the settled cities and towns of the present day and what has been lost in the process. Nat Love “the immense cattle ranges, stretching away in the distance as far as the eye could see, now began to be dotted with cities and towns and the cattle industry, which once held a monopoly in the west, now had to give way to the industry of the farm and the mill” (The American Negro: 130). In this quote, Nat Love is not only discussing the way in which the physical prairies were disappearing, but also how an entire way of life was being eliminated. This was a shift from the practically nomadic way of life to a more stationary way of life that depended upon cultivation of the land and the destruction of what had been before. The beauty of the west was being lost just as the harshness of it was being tamed. Like much of the literature of this period, this passage captures a sense of transition from one way of life to another, as well as the sense of tremendous loss such transformation brings. Jack London “He grew conscious of the muscled mechanism of his body and felt confident that he was physically their master. But their heads were filled with knowledge that enabled them to talk her talk, – the thought depressed him. But what was a brain for? he demanded passionately. What they had done, he could do” (Martin Eden: 60-61). In this passage, Martin Eden is contemplating making a transition of his own as a means of joining the more educated social class. In this consideration, he realizes that he is capable of things these boys will never be capable of. However, he also realizes that they are capable of something he cannot do, at least not yet. While they will never be able to catch up to him in terms of physical abilities or the knowledge he’s gained of the world, he is capable of learning what they’ve learned. Again, the concept of transition is accompanied with thoughts of what is lost in the race to become a competitor in the bid for money and power and what is truly gained in the greater scheme of life. “All that was god-like in him was blotted out. The spur of ambition was blunted; he had no vitality with which to feel the prod of it. He was dead. His soul seemed dead. He was a beast, a work-beast. … Life was intolerably dull and stupid, and its taste was bad in his mouth” (Martin Eden: 199). This passage reflects a reverse transition, from one of high intellectual pursuit to one of exhaustion so deep thought seems impossible. Martin has been so busy working that he doesn’t have energy left for study, illuminating the reasons why so many of his class lacked interest in education. Despite his lack of financial success, once he has learned higher levels of thought, Martin discovers he cannot return to his roots nor can he respect the shallow pursuits of those he once looked up to. Through this realization, London indicates that transitions toward ‘progress’ based on capitalism and greed are not necessarily positive directions for the human race. “You have given me a glimpse of fairyland … It makes life worthwhile to meet people like that. My mind is all worked up” (Martin Eden: 377). Martin says this to Brissenden upon their departure from the philosopher’s den. It is an almost duplicate reaction to what he had initially thought of his first visit to the Morse’s house. He has grown so much since then that the Morses and their materialist displays have long since failed to inspire him and it takes this introduction to make him realize he has already transitioned past the middle class and into the intellectual elite. This statement highlights the transition he’s made from the lowest uneducated working class to the highest thinking class (which is not the same as the moneyed class), also marking the loss of true values in the pursuit of material riches. Frank Norris “These matters, these eternal fierce bickerings between the farmers of the San Joaquin and the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad irritated him and wearied him. He cared for none of these things. They did not belong to his world. In the picture of that huge romantic West that he saw in his imagination, these dissensions made the one note of harsh colour that refused to enter into the great scheme of harmony” (The Octopus: Ch. 1). The transition of the West was primarily driven by the railroads and capitalism, as has been seen in Nat Love’s autobiography. This concept is again echoed in Frank Norris’ novel as he illustrates not only how the railroad was killing the cattle industry, but also how the farmers worked to bring about similar destruction to those who had previously lived off the land. These ugly realities of life, with the railroads taking over cattle country and the farmers exploiting the natives, are part of the transition period between the wild west and the ‘civilized’ culture of the future. Sui Sin Far “When Mrs. Spring Fragrance first arrived in Seattle, she was unacquainted with even one word of the American language. Five years later her husband, speaking of her, said: ‘There are no more American words for her learning.’ And everyone who knew Mrs. Spring Fragrance agreed with Mr. Spring Fragrance” (Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings: 1). In opening up the west, numerous immigrants from all over the world came to America seeking new futures for themselves. In her short stories, Sui Sin Far captures the same sense of transition that occurs in the other stories discussed so far. Like Martin Eden, though, these transitions are of a more personal, inner change in response to new living conditions or desires. Like the other stories, though, this transition is seen as necessary if one wishes to progress successfully into the capitalistic future. Zitkala-Sa “We were once very happy. But the paleface has stolen our lands and driven us hither. Having defrauded us of our land, the paleface forced us away” (American Indian Stories: 1). In this brief quote, the mother is telling her small daughter about the horrific transition that befell the American Indian nation in the face of the technologically superior white immigrants. As is seen in much of the writings regarding the Native Americans, as well as what is generally known about the genocide that occurred, the transition of the west was for them a death knell of their old ways and customs. The concept of happy and free is washed away in the steam of the railroad engine as progress and civilization slowly marches its way across the plains. As it sweeps away the freedom of Nat Love and his fellow cowboys, so it swept away the natural way in which the Indians lived on the land. Ziauddin Sardar “In the western it is the hero – what he defends, vindicates and saves – that alone evokes poignant reflection, while the vanquished are unmourned; they do not require the reflex of regret, for as agents of evil they are by definition of less human worth. … For the Third World, the sub-text of American story-telling is abundantly clear: they are the Red Indians” (Why Do People Hate America?). This final quotation sums up what the messages of the old west, as told from their own mouths, have communicated again and again. The transition from the old ways to the new was brutal, quickly exterminating those who refused to move along with the tide of ‘progress’ and capitalism while rewarding those who did. These victims were not only the cowboys and Indians that roamed the plains before they were finally settled, but also the farmers and the immigrants, the intellectuals and the uneducated. Conclusion In conclusion, I find the transition of the west to be a fascinating subject. There was progress involved in that the railroads made it possible for many people from many different lands to seek a new home and a new hope, but at the same time, these people could be brutally treated if they could not adjust quickly to their new landscape. For the most part, though, it seems more was lost than was gained. Evaluation Preface – For me, a good book is one that makes me want to keep reading it. The more difficult it is to put down, the better it is. Part of what keeps me interested is good use of imagery and description, action and a more conversational dialect. These are the criteria I applied to the following text grades. Stories from the Country of Lost Borders – Austen The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Writings – Harte A – This book was told in an easy western dialect that made it fun to read and gave me a sense of the flavor of the old west. The stories were interesting and presented a side of life I had never considered. Ramona – Jackson Gold Rush: A Literary Exploration - Kowalewski Martin Eden –London A – Although it almost had too intellectual of a tone to keep my interest, London did a good job of not going so over the top that I couldn’t follow him. I found the book a challenge to keep up with, but not so much that it made me want to give up. Since I plan to read it again, I have to give this book an A. The Octopus – Norris Joaquin Murieta – Ridge Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings – Sui Sin Far Roughing it – Twain A – I love Mark Twain and his contentious but easy-minded way of telling a story. His digressions make me think of an old grand-dad sitting on the front step spinning stories all day long. This is just what I think he was trying to convey when he was describing the west. Because of his ability to capture the flavor, he usually wins high grades. American Indian Stories, Legends and Other Writings – Zitkala-Sa Commentary Read More

Martin has been so busy working that he doesn’t have energy left for study, illuminating the reasons why so many of his class lacked interest in education. Despite his lack of financial success, once he has learned higher levels of thought, Martin discovers he cannot return to his roots nor can he respect the shallow pursuits of those he once looked up to. Through this realization, London indicates that transitions toward ‘progress’ based on capitalism and greed are not necessarily positive directions for the human race.

“You have given me a glimpse of fairyland … It makes life worthwhile to meet people like that. My mind is all worked up” (Martin Eden: 377). Martin says this to Brissenden upon their departure from the philosopher’s den. It is an almost duplicate reaction to what he had initially thought of his first visit to the Morse’s house. He has grown so much since then that the Morses and their materialist displays have long since failed to inspire him and it takes this introduction to make him realize he has already transitioned past the middle class and into the intellectual elite.

This statement highlights the transition he’s made from the lowest uneducated working class to the highest thinking class (which is not the same as the moneyed class), also marking the loss of true values in the pursuit of material riches. Frank Norris “These matters, these eternal fierce bickerings between the farmers of the San Joaquin and the Pacific and Southwestern Railroad irritated him and wearied him. He cared for none of these things. They did not belong to his world. In the picture of that huge romantic West that he saw in his imagination, these dissensions made the one note of harsh colour that refused to enter into the great scheme of harmony” (The Octopus: Ch. 1). The transition of the West was primarily driven by the railroads and capitalism, as has been seen in Nat Love’s autobiography.

This concept is again echoed in Frank Norris’ novel as he illustrates not only how the railroad was killing the cattle industry, but also how the farmers worked to bring about similar destruction to those who had previously lived off the land. These ugly realities of life, with the railroads taking over cattle country and the farmers exploiting the natives, are part of the transition period between the wild west and the ‘civilized’ culture of the future. Sui Sin Far “When Mrs. Spring Fragrance first arrived in Seattle, she was unacquainted with even one word of the American language.

Five years later her husband, speaking of her, said: ‘There are no more American words for her learning.’ And everyone who knew Mrs. Spring Fragrance agreed with Mr. Spring Fragrance” (Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings: 1). In opening up the west, numerous immigrants from all over the world came to America seeking new futures for themselves. In her short stories, Sui Sin Far captures the same sense of transition that occurs in the other stories discussed so far. Like Martin Eden, though, these transitions are of a more personal, inner change in response to new living conditions or desires.

Like the other stories, though, this transition is seen as necessary if one wishes to progress successfully into the capitalistic future. Zitkala-Sa “We were once very happy. But the paleface has stolen our lands and driven us hither. Having defrauded us of our land, the paleface forced us away” (American Indian Stories: 1). In this brief quote, the mother is telling her small daughter about the horrific transition that befell the American Indian nation in the face of the technologically superior white immigrants.

As is seen in much of the writings regarding the Native Americans, as well as what is generally known about the genocide that occurred, the transition of the west was for them a death knell of their old ways and customs. The concept of happy and free is washed away in the steam of the railroad engine as progress and civilization slowly marches its way across the plains.

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