The works we have read thus far have demonstrated that history has had a great influence on the development of American literature. Much of American literature is rooted in historical events and the experience of early Americans. For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter draws heavily from Puritanism and its impact on society (Hawthorne 1850). Additionally, Zitkala-Sa’s “Why I Am a Pagan” speaks to the displacement and mistreatment suffered by Native Americans caused by European colonialism (Zitkala-Sa 1921). In both these examples, it is clear that history has played an important role in informing how authors craft their stories which reflects upon broader issues facing America at the time.
In addition to history, law also plays an integral part in developing literature as seen in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. This novel relates to themes such as justice and morality while drawing upon maritime laws of 19th century whaling industry (Melville 1851). Moreover, Emily Dickinson’s poetry demonstrates her interest in philosophy when discussing religious beliefs regarding creation or life after death (Dickinson 1862). Therefore it can be argued that legal and philosophical works provide underlying structures for authors to explore meaning within their writing.
Overall , out of all branches mentioned from What Is Literature? handout , it can be concluded that history has had the most impact on American literature . As evidenced by many works this semester , authors rely heavily upon past experiences either through societal pressures like Puritanism or personal reflections about religious beliefs . It would not be wrong to suggest other branches such as law or philosophy might have contributed immensely towards creating meaningful pieces but overall many works draw heavily upon history showing how crucial it is for writers who wish understand our past with hopes building better future.
stating, “I don’t want to be a writer. It’s stupid. It’s a stupid waste of time.” Chris responds, “That’s your dad talking.” Chris notes that Gordie is repressing his American dream because his father does not want him to be a writer. He then states that he wishes he was Gordie’s father because if he were, Gordie would not be considering taking shop courses instead of his college courses. Chris acts as a father figure to Gordie, who finds comfort and solace in his friends following his brother’s death. He resents the idea of taking college courses because he knows that it will isolate him from his friends, leaving him completely alone. When the boys finally make camp for the night and go to bed, Gordie is awoken by a nightmare of his father telling him “it should’ve been you” referring to Denny’s death.
Chris’ American dream is to prove wrong the people that believe he will ultimately end up bad because of his family. When Gordie mentions that Chris could take college courses too, he states that no one would let him because they all think of him as “one of those lowlife Chamber kids.” He then explains how upset he was at being suspended from school. Chris was suspended because he stole the school’s milk money, not because he wanted to, but because he was expected to. When he became guilty and tried returning the money, his teacher used it to buy herself a new suit. He explains to Gordie that even if he tried to tell someone that story, they wouldn’t believe him because he’s nothing more than a kid brother to Eyeball Chambers. Deep down, Chris is a good kid whose dream is to succeed in life. His American dream is to make the adults in his life see him not as a punk, but as the intelligent, caring, boy that he is.
One of the most important scenes in the film occurs when the four boys reach a bridge. They must decide whether to cross the bridge or walk an extra five miles to go around the bridge. This entire film represents the journey of childhood into adulthood, thus making the train tracks a symbol of the journey from one stage of life to another. The bridge, as well as the tracks in general, demonstrate that the path towards adulthood can be adventurous, dangerous, and downright scary. When the boys are about halfway across the tracks, a train comes along, forcing them to run. In this instance, the train symbolizes the trauma that the boys have experienced that have ultimately forced them to grow up quicker than average boys their age.
When the boys get close to finding the body, they again are forced to make a decision regarding the direction they take. They can either walk the train tracks or cross a field into a forest and ultimately decide to walk through the field. By choosing this path rather than the tracks, this shows that the boys desire to make their own destinies rather than follow the path that has already been paved for them by their family members, community members, and society itself. When the boys finally find the dead body, Gordie decides that they will not take credit for finding it, as that is not the way to prove themselves to their community. They report the body anonymously and return back home. Gordie and Chris say goodbye to the other boys a
