Definition of the American Dream

at
Categories
Tags

 

 

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.

300 words minimum (excluding quotations and citations)
Include two properly integrated and cited direct quotations (one related to each character) to support your claims. See the Literary Analysis Tools Module from this week’s activities for information about integrating and citing direct quotations.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/876/876-h/876-h.htm – this is the article it is in reference to

 

There is a no-research policy in place for this class. Using any material other than the assigned readings and lectures, even if it is correctly quoted and cited, will result in a failing grade for this assignment. Contact your instructor if you have questions about this policy.

Sample Solution

“Life in the Iron Mills” by Rebecca Harding Davis is a portrayal of the common mill or factory worker’s life in the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution. Hugh Wolfe, an iron mill worker who sculpts with the korl byproduct, and Deborah Wolfe, a cotton mill worker, live their lives in hopelessness and poverty. Deborah shows boldness in the story. This 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. At the time, it was uncommon for a girl to tell her parents that she didn’t want to get married or that she didn’t like the man who was meant to be her husband.

In describing a commonwealth, Hobbes calls the head of the Leviathan and the carrier of the combined state’s power, a “sovereign.” However, in this quote, he states that one is not considered a sovereign unless their power is supreme and unlimited. This cannot be achieved in the case of unrestricted representatives or two sovereigns, as their powers would potentially limit each other. They would also not be superior to each other and thus, not supreme. Therefore, to be considered a sovereign, the head of the Leviathan must be an individual with unlimited power.

Though governed by a single ruler or a monarch, the Leviathan is one of republican origins and purposes as it was made by the people, in service of the people, which leave them accountable to the great Leviathan’s actions. This is highlighted in Hobbes’ definition of the Commonwealth:

“one person, of whose acts a great multitude, by mutual covenants one with another, have made themselves every one the author, to the end he may use the strengths and means of them all, as he shall think expedient for their peace and common defense” (Hobbes, pg.109, s.13).

In this passage, Hobbes recognizes that in agreeing with the social contract the people accept accountability or “make themselves the authors” of the sovereign’s actions or legislation. He also recognizes that such legislations are created with the sole purpose of guaranteeing the public’s will for peace and common defense. Therefore, being the co-authors and benefactors of these laws, the public is as influential to the reigning of a commonwealth as the sovereign is, making it a rule by all through the ruling of one. When listing the rights of a sovereign in a Leviathan, Hobbes claims that it is impossible to i

This question has been answered.

Get Answer