This is a good question; Due to what American Literature stands for, who can be part of the literary canon? I think literature (American or otherwise) serves as a means by which one can examine a society's values, ideas, hopes, fears, and dreams through fiction or oral literature. Those who have had an impact on their society create something that many people will read of or look upon in different ethnicities, ages, social class, etc; However, does It always have to be an author or an writing documentation to exactly fit in the category of American Literature?; My opinion I would have to say no American Literature should be a Varity of people who made a difference in American not just by written literature but also by oral literature. Furthermore, Anne Hutchinson’s, known not as an author but an importance in our history (American history) should be included in our textbook and should be integrated into the literary canon for American Literature. For one she is known to be a political figure for not just women rights, but also religious rights for everyone. Secondly, she not just known for her beliefs but she is also proof of how religious and political leaders were towards women in her time period, and last but not least she is proven to be a women of multiply accomplishments in her life that actually helped society come to understanding later on.
In her time Period women didn’t have rights as a religious dissenter or any type of political stand point. . She was clearly a great leader in the cause of religious toleration in America and the advancement of women in society. She basically challenged men and their authority, which was a struggle and hassle to overcome without being killed, but she did. By conducting informal...
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Work Cited
"Anne Hutchinson: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article." AbsoluteAstronomy.com. Encycloedia. Web. 17 Oct. 2010. .
Hall, Timothy D. "Amazon.com: Anne Hutchinson: Puritan Prophet (Library of American Biography) (9780321476210): Timothy D. Hall: Books." Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & More. Web. 17 Oct. 2010. .
Paine, Lisa L. "Midwifery, Childbirth, Politics, and Religion: Lessons from the Case of Anne Hutchinson, Colonial Midwife." Midwifery, Childbirth, Politics, and Religion: Lessons from the Case of Anne Hutchinson, Colonial Midwife. 13 Nov. 2000. Web. 17 Oct. 2010. .
Women did not have many rights during 1616-1768, these three prominent women Pocahontas, Anne Hutchinson and Hannah Griffitts, will show many changes for women symbols from the Colony America, American Christianity to Boycotting British Goods. All three were involved in religious, political and cultural aspects during there time, making many changes and history. There are three documents that will be used to compare these three women Pocahontas Engraving (1616), Simon Van De Passee, The Examination of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson at the Court at Newton (1637), David D. Hall and Women’s Role In Boycotting English Goods, Hannah Griffits (1768), The Female Patriots.
This novel, A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, is based on Ballard’s diary starting in 1785 and ending with her death in 1812. Ulrich takes us step by step through Martha Ballard’s life as a Colonial Midwife. She reveals to us all the marvelous acts that midwives performed for their families and communities. “Midwives and nurses mediated the mysteries of birth, procreation, illness and death. They touched the untouchable, handled excrement and vomit as well as milk, swaddled the dead as well as the newborn” (Ulrich, 1990, pg.47). The novel also reveals that based on the views of societal power, gender roles in the medical environment and personal values, revealed in the diary, women were subordinate to men during this historical time period. Martha Ballard lived and thrived in this inferior atmosphere.
James, Edward, Janet James, and Paul Boyer. Notable American Women, 1607-1950. Volume III: P-Z. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971. Print.
Besides being an anti-imperialist, she was largely for equality and that everyone could participate in important situations and issues. She was part of many women’s leagues and was the founder of the Hull House. The Hull Houses gave a life to the poor and immigrants who struggled in a competitive world. It gave them education, a home, health care, social circumstances, and safety. She was never married, so she spent her life dedicated to promoting peace. She believed that war, force, and violence only brought pain, struggle,and problems for family. She saw working together instead of using force was way more powerful and successful. War and violence only hindered the world and created a loss in compassion and kindness. At the Chicago Liberty Meeting, which protested imperialism in the Philippines, Jane was the only woman to speak. “To ‘protect the weak’ has always been the excuse of the ruler and tax-gatherer, the chief, the king, the baron; and now, at last, of ‘the white man’” (Addams 1899). The United States often didn’t listen to the anti-imperialists but they continued to peacefully fight for
Anne Hutchinson was born Anne Marbury in Alford, England, in 1591. Anne's father was a deacon at Christ Church, Cambridge. Francis Marbury spoke out earnestly about his convictions that many of the ordained ministers in the Church of England were unfit to guide people's souls. For this act of defiance, he was put in jail for one year. Undaunted, Francis Marbury continued to voice his radical opinions, including that many ministers were appointed haphazardly by high church officials to preach in any manner they wanted. Eventually, Anne's father did restrain his verbal attacks on the Church of England, choosing conformity with an imperfect church over constant arrests and inquisitions. (D. Crawford, Four Women in a Violent Time, pps. 11-15.) Being educated at home, Anne read many of her father's books on theology and religion. Much of Anne's later independence and willingness to speak out was due to her father's example. Anne admired her father for his defiance of traditional church principles. She was always fascinated with theological questions such as the fate of the Indians who had no knowledge of Jesus Christ or salvation. Her childhood was a definite factor in the development of the strong, self-assured woman she grew up to be.
Lang, Amy Schrager. Prophetic Woman: Anne Hutchinson and the Problem of Dissent in the Literature of New England. California: University of California Press, 1987.
Crane?s handling of Maggie is one that is very American. It leaves the reader without closure of the character. After Maggie?s death her mother wants too forgive her, but it is all too late. Nathaniel Hawthorne?s treatment of Hester Prynne was too be expected because of the society she lived in and of course because her ?mistake? (Pearl) would be with her always reminding the community of what she did. Willa Cather is the only author of these three to give her main character, who just happens to be a woman, a positive role within her community despite the tension between the two.
She was an abolitionist and women’s right’s activist and was born a slave in New York State. She bore around thirteen children and had three of them sold away from her. She became involved in supporting freed people during the Reconstruction Period.
Ann Lee or Mother Ann Lee was a religious leader who brought the Shakers from England to the American Colonies. She joined “The Shaking Quakers” in 1758. Ann Lee would come to lead the advance guard of a new era in both religious liberty and toleration. Her beliefs as a Shaker would become to be the first in America to be an advocate for pacifism, abolition of slavery, equality for the sexes, communal ownership of good, and absolute celibacy. I chose to have my research paper on Ann Lee because I find it incredible that at a time where so few women were religious leader, Ann Lee became the leader of one of the most successful utopian societies. I believe that her teachings and preachings were able to shape the principles of what this country
She was a gracious ruler to the Scottish people. She allowed them to continue their Protestant practices without any repercussions. Yet, she stood up for her Catholic background, which made them admire her even more. She was a rebel because she knew she was the rightful ruler of England, and she never stopped trying to get the throne. Although in the end her plan fell through and resulted in her being executed. After her death, she became a role model for other women to always stand up for what they believe in and to never give
...also were not represented, and made women understand that this inferiority dilemma that was going on every day had to stop, and that they had to revolt and fight for their own rights. Her influence combined with other women fighting and the spirit of rebellion already set in men spiked women's interests in their rights and made them want to struggle for their privileges.
...s were introduced. American women are truly lucky to have had Abigail Adams. Abigail Adams' efforts have given education for females. Charles W. Akers, the author of Abigail Adams an American Women, as well as I believe that if Abigail hadn't spoken out on these subjects, who else would have? Even though she did not accomplish her crusades, she planted the idea of her goal and objective into other minds. For her courageous foresight, women now have equal rights. Abigail was a talented letter writer, a supporter of her husband in his long civic career, and the mother of the most significant family dynasty in American public life. Abigail Smith Adams was the first fully liberated woman in American history and an inspiration to women for generations to come.
...nspired to make a change that she knew that nothing could stop her, not even her family. In a way, she seemed to want to prove that she could rise above the rest. She refused to let fear eat at her and inflict in her the weakness that poisoned her family. As a child she was a witness to too much violence and pain and much too often she could feel the hopelessness that many African Americans felt. She was set in her beliefs to make choices freely and help others like herself do so as well.
She started out as a guest lecturer speaking out against slavery. Stone was a known as a major abolitionist in the pre-civil war period. At this time, the other Women’s rights leaders wondered if her abolition speaking would take away from their cause.
She traveled abroad and gave speeches that try to push the moral button hidden inside of everyone. Another work that did the same thing was the movie The Great Debaters. The point of most movies are to make you emotionally attached to the characters. This one pulled it off in a way that made you feel sorry for them for losing to the Harvard team, but then they won. Showing that the minority is only the minority because there are less of them with less political power. The movie also deals heavily with the suppression of the black minority. The movie showed how the racist whites would disrespect and look down on the blacks for no other reason than their color. Those white racists even went so far as to lynch a black man (Washington). In another part of the world, Mahatma Gandhi lead the native indians using his Satyagraha, or peaceful protest and nonviolence (Gandhi). In a sense, the British were to the native Indians as whites are to blacks, as the majority is to the minority. As a bully is to its