Industrialization at its Finest

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The industrialization has made a huge imprint on American society, especially towards the working class and the elites. Although the industrial revolution shaped Americans greatly, it did not shape the working class and the elites comparatively; what was essential for the working class was not essential for the elites. The elites became more and more powerful while the working class began losing more and more of their leisure time. Despite the actions that the elites performed and their views, Sam Patch and Phineas Taylor Barnum, also known as P.T. Barnum, opposed their actions and views. Both Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum took the initiative to fight for what they thought was right by expressing themselves in their own ways. They had various methods in expressing themselves through unique art, believed in the politics of leisure, and eventually became celebrities through their work of art. The elites during the industrial revolution had a completely different view towards art compared to Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum. They believed that art meant not only the beauty of nature but also the creations of humankind, such as technology and entrepreneurial vision. Timothy B. Crane, a builder and sawmill owner who bought the forested north bank of Passaic Falls, viewed art “as a crucial component in what might be called the language of progress, a language that described and legitimized what he was doing in Passaic Falls” (Johnson, Sam Patch, The Famous Jumper, p. 53). Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum, on the other hand, thought jumping waterfalls and presenting “freaks” was their way of art. Before every jump, Sam Patch had a motto: “Some things can be done as well as others” (Johnson, Sam Patch, The Famous Jumper, p. 66). He believed that anyone could do what he did if they put their mind to it. P.T. Barnum, on the other hand, believed that anyone could become famous if they had the right attitude and mindset. He created what was basically an “upper torso of a monkey sewn to the lower half of a fish” called Feejee Mermaid. This was one of his famous attractions. This creature just shows how easily anyone or anything can become famous. Both Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum had similar views towards industrialization. They believed that there were many different forms of art, not just one. They both appreciated leisure time by living life to the fullest, either by enjoying themselves, drinking, or spending time with others. Lastly, Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum proved that anyone can become famous if they wanted to. Just because it seemed like the elites had the upper hand, they really did not. Sam Patch and P.T. Barnum fought for what they believed in, which resulted in them being famous. All in all, the industrialization may seem terrible, but these two men made this time period feasible.

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