Social Issues In American Literature - 972 Words

American Literature from its beginnings is shaped by a demand towards reforming society by bringing awareness towards towards social issues and a need to question societal norms.American literature from its beginnings has focused around establishing the American identity , and has also served as a means to address social issues that have plagues American society. The three authors that are representative of these ideals are the following; Hector De St John Crevecoeur Benjamin Franklin, and Hannah Foster. These authors represent different perspectives on American issues, ranging from revolutionary era america, women’s rights, and also establishing a set of values that represent the American Identity. At a time where the new world†¦show more content†¦The position that Crevoucuer demonstrates towards the social order in America is that it is corrupt, and that the idea of revolution has turned quickly into disorder throughout the colonies. Although Letters does provid e praise towards the New world, it also demonstrated the issues associated with forming a new world. These issues are that of the vast disparities of wealth, institution of slavery, and that the New World consists of colonies that are made up of contradictions. Ultimately, Letters provides a pessimistis forecast for Ameria’s future and puts into question the nature of humanity in the forming of America. A work of literature that contrasts the ideas stated in Letters is Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack. One of the main purposes of this almanac was to actually help the average citizen in achieving prosperity. Franklin like Crevecouer, uses a persona in his writings. The persona that is used by Franklin is that of a poor farmer (Poor Richard), which helped to connect with Franklin’s target audience, which was the common American citizen. This style of writing contrasts with Crevocuer because instead of making observations about the corruption of America, Poor Richards Almanac tries to help Americans out by using rational logic towards the problems of taxation, accumulating debt, and promoting the concept of sociability. This almanac largely consisted of maxims of these ideals. An example ofShow MoreRelatedEthnic Literature : Ethnic American Literature1381 Words   |  6 Pages The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the topic of Ethnic American Literature. Specifically it will discuss the meaning and definition of Ethnic American literature. Ethnic American literature is a rich and varied treasure of poetry, fiction, drama, and much more. Written by some of America s greatest authors, this ethnic legacy opens up a world of diversity to readers, but it also illustrates the struggles and prejudice that still exist in our country today. 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