From Phillis Wheatley's On Being Brought From Africa To America

A country changes as it gets older, and there are many things that contribute to such a change. Some of the events that helped shape American literature are the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The Revolutionary War forced America to forge its own identity that was still indelibly tied to Great Britain. Contrary to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War was a way to resolve many differing identities. At the time, America was the most divided the country ever was and ever would be. Such a divide was based on differing opinions on slavery and states rights. Every citizen of the United States had a differing opinion than their neighbor, on how the country should be run. An example of the division between the Union and Confederacy is seen in
Phillis Wheatley, an educated black woman, wrote about how being brought into slavery taught her to understand that there's a God who is a savior (Wheatley). Wheatley wrote, “On Being Brought from Africa to America” during the 1700s. This poem is revolutionary because typically slaves did not know how to read or write, let alone compose a piece of poetry. Wheatley tries to look on the bright side of being abducted from her home country and talks about God’s grace getting her through the journey. From her solidified belief in faith, it is evident that she converted to Christianity once in America. She also alludes to the Bible when she mentions, “Negros, black as Cain,” insinuating that the white men saw African Americans as evil and on the same level as the devil (Wheatley). While Wheatley and Northup were both slaves, they had very differing opinions on their forced servitude. However, Wheatley’s opinion was primarily a result of her Christian upbringing, and evidence of how Christianity was oftentimes used to control slaves. Regardless, both individuals significantly contribute to the fabric of American culture, by drawing attention to the horrors of slavery, and breaking glass ceilings dictating what they are, or are not capable of doing. In Wheatley’s case, she proves black women can fight for equality through
After all, it was what people came to America for in the first place. Nathaniel Hawthorne writes about the early Puritanical belief system and the ideas of a Puritan society. In his short story, “The Man of Adamant,” Hawthorne speaks negatively about the Puritan beliefs-- despite being raised in a Puritan household. According to him, those who are rigid in their beliefs will become isolated from the rest of the world. He talks about how the Puritans become lonely and isolated and kept from heaven, because of their inflexibility and resistance to change. The whole story is essentially one big allegory, negatively referencing the harsh and rigid belief system of the Puritan society. While the Puritans were definitely held in the minority, they still helped create the foundation of hard work in America, by synthesizing their beliefs into everyday American