William M. Wood Jr.
ENG 241
Professor Brandon
3-4-2010

I have never read Poe, Thoreau, Franklin, Fitzhugh, Crevecoeur, or Emerson until now. I had heard their names mentioned before on Jeopardy. I knew that Poe lived in Richmond for awhile. I knew that Emerson and Thoreau had a passion for nature. I have learned how Thoreau believed that man needs to reconnect with nature and the simpler things in life. I wish it were that easy. I was thrilled to learn that Emerson was a non conformist like me. Poe taught me just how monstrous the human mind can be. I have read writings from the abolitionists before. In contrast, I did not even know that there was literature written to defend the idea of slavery.
To sum it up, so far these past eight weeks have taught me a lot about what each of these authors had to say. I have also learned valuable lessons. I have learned the contrast of the Age of Reason with The Age of Romanticism. More importantly each of the assignments has taught me a little more about myself.

I will attempt to write briefly about what I learned from each of these authors. There is so much to say that I doubt I could fit it all in one essay. I will also discuss the case for my grade. I will present evidence to defend my argument.
We started with Romanticism. We discussed three of the American Romantics. Two had very similar ideas and one did not. Romanticism covered two new styles. First there was an influence on the individual and nature as we see in writers like Emerson and Thoreau. Then there were those who focused more on the sublime and human nature such as Poe.

Thoreau and Emerson

Thoreau and Emerson were transcendentalists. Both valued the individual, employed the idea of feeling over reason, both felt for the little guy, both believed in getting back to nature, and both believed in a small government. Thoreau believed in returning to nature while maintaining a balance of civilization. Thoreau recorded in his journal that Emerson said “The charm of the Indian to me is that he stands free and unconstrained in Nature” (Henry David Thoreau, Journal, Monday, April 26, 1841). Emerson took more of the total return to nature approach. Both were members of the Transcendentalist club of New England. Both leaned towards a utopian style of society. Their view on God was that all things were divine. This led many to believe that the transcendentalists were mad. In the case of Thoreau this would have been especially true. Thoreau was a believer in Darwin’s theory of evolution, and a vegetarian. The theory of evolution was and still is highly controversial especially to most Christians. Thoreau and Emerson have influenced many great writers and rhetoricians.

Edgar Allen Poe

Poe was also a romantic but not like Emerson or Thoreau. First of all Poe was from the south and was very critical of northern writers. Secondly, unlike his nature loving peers, Poe embraced the sublime through a mastery of the macabre. I learned from Poe that there is a potential monster at the heart of every man. Many thought that Poe was mad, but they appreciated his work, which rivaled the likes of other horror writers around the globe.

Poe also wrote science fiction and writing theory. I learned this on a recent visit to the Poe Museum right here in Richmond. On my visit, I also learned that Poe’s works have been turned into movies in many different languages and countries. Lastly, I learned that Poe created the detective style story telling.

The Abolitionists

Slavery came to this country with the colonization by European expansion. Our founding fathers struggled with notion of slavery. Thomas Jefferson claimed in an 1805 letter to William A. Burwell that “I have long since given up the expectation of any early provision for the extinguishment of slavery among us” (Argument in case of Howell v. Netherland). The early abolitionists tried two methods. First, they tried to stop the spread of slavery to the west. Second, some early abolitionists believed that the United States should create a new African colony and send emancipated slaves there.

Later with the rise of Romanticism, people began to be able to sympathize with the plight of the slave. Romantic writers placed an emphasis on individualism and many romantics wrote in defense of the slave as a human being who should have the same rights as anyone else. Songs like John Brown’s Body told the plight of slaves to those who could not read. Eventually political leaders like Abraham Lincoln realized the injustice of slavery. This notion was particularly popular in the North but not so much in the South. The South relied on slavery for their very way of life. Writers of the Antebellum Era, such as Fitzhugh, argued for slavery. This caught me by surprise. I now know that there are two sides to every story, even if the story is not a pretty one.

The Age of Reason

Prior to the Romantic period, there was the Age of Reason. This period is also called the Age of Enlightenment. Writers and thinkers of this period questioned the wisdom of the Christian grounded 15th and 16th centuries. Some of the writers and thinkers were known as the Deists. Deists did not completely discredit Christianity, but did question some of the explanations that Christianity offered. During this period, there was a renewed focus on the classical Greek and Roman philosophy. Some of the great names of the enlightenment period are Paine, Franklin, and Jefferson.

Ben Franklin

We were assigned to read Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography. I have learned from his autobiography that Franklin was more than an inventor. I knew that he started the first fire department in the United States, but I had no idea how important his role as a founder was. It was great to learn that Franklin was an early abolitionist. As I read Franklin’s autobiography, I felt myself moved in a more patriotic direction. Franklin is truly an inspiration.

Summary

This semester so far has been eye opening. I have studied many authors from around the world. I have never placed so much emphasis on American writers as I have in this class. So far I am not disappointed. I think that it is essential that all American college students acquire an appreciation for the great American writers and their place in the shaping of our culture.

Why do I deserve the grade I think I deserve?

I have never been asked to grade myself. It is very difficult for me to place a letter value on so much learning. The interaction though discussion boards and blogs has really broadened my horizons. I feel that I have a solid grasp on what we have covered so far. I choose not to grade myself nor defend any letter grade that I may or may not deserve. I think that doing so would undermine my learning experience.