Boldness American Dream
You learned the definition of the American Dream in this week’s lecture. You also learned about the American identity. Traits often associated with the American identity include boldness, confidence, perseverance, and integrity. These traits are often demonstrated through a character’s words or actions. This week, we’ll focus on boldness. How is boldness reflected in the characters of Rebecca Harding Davis’s story? Choose two characters from “Life in the Iron Mills” and explain how boldness applies to them in the story.
Sample Solution
Rebecca Harding Davis wrote Life in the Iron Mills in 1861 about the factory world of the nineteenth century. The short story is acknowledged for being the first literary work in America to focus on the relationships amongst industrial work, poverty, and the exploitation of immigrants within a capitalistic economy (Franey). Rebecca Harding Davis’s story reflects boldness in the characters of Mitchell and Deborah. Deborah`s boldness is reflected in her willingness to stand up for her own preferences and goals, even when they are not popular. For example, when her parents try to arranged a marriage for her, Deborah speaks up and says that she does not want to marry the man they have chosen.
