Early American Writers
William Bradford’s Excerpts from Of Plymouth Plantation
Unconditional Election: Disease was spreading and more than half of the people on board died
“And yet the Lord so upheld these persons as in this general calamity they were not at all
infected either with sickness or lameness…. And I doubt not but their recompense is with the
Lord.”
Sign of Christianity, a proud young man who did not help other, “But when he grew weak, they
had compassion on him and helped him; they he confessed he did not deserve it at their hands, he
had abused them in word and deed. ‘Oh!’ (saith he), “you, I now see, show your love like
Christians indeed one to another lie and die like dogs.’”
• “So they committed themselves to the will of God and resolved to proceed.”
• Someone was falling off the boat.. “but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail
halyards…got into the ship again and his life saved.”
The General History of Virginia by John Smith
Main Idea:
In John Smith’s article, The General History of Virginia, we see the writing of an early American
who was one of the first people to colonize Virginia. The main idea of this article was for Smith
to attract investors to the New World. Smith was brought over by the Virginia Company and
needed to send back an account of New World so European interest of this area would grow. The
overarching idea is what America has to offer and what do Europeans have to do in order to
make the New World successful. As of now Smith and his settlers are struggling for survival so
help from larger powers overseas are desperately needed. John Smith was an early American
writer as he showed off America to many people far overseas.
Quotes:
“…the good success of the business being thus oft brought to the very period of destruction; yet
you see by what strange means God hath still delivered it” (Smith 5)
“…but almighty God (in His divine providence) had mollified the hearts of those stern
barbarians with compassion.” (Smith 4-5)
Puritanism
Puritanism
Main beliefs
Total depravity- everyone is born sinful.
Unconditional election- only few are chosen for salvation.
Limited atonement- Jesus died for a chosen few.
Irresistible grace- you cannot earn or deny god’s grace.
Perseverance of the saints- only those chosen by god can interpret his will.
Additional beliefs are typology (godly actions in everyday life), Manifest destiny (expand
American culture), and backsliding (god’s grace chosen can fall into sin at any time.)
John Winthrop’s “ A Model of Christian Charity”
The main idea of John Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” is that John Winthrop is
creating the ideal society, or a city upon a hill. In this speech, John Winthrop explains his
proposed outline for how society will run. He explains that in humans, there is inevitable class
inequalities and imbalance of power. He says that this imbalance causes conformity with the
world, and that if this social order is kept, community ties will be strengthened. Winthrop goes
on to discuss the rules which the society must live by to be successful, known as the rule of
Justice and mercy, the law of nature, and law of grace. Living by these rules includes lending
money to anyone in times of need; always lend a helping hand without request, and to forget all
debts owed you unless they break the law. The society focuses very heavily on forgiving people
for what they cannot afford to do, and makes it so although there are class differences, this
society will do its best to make those class differences small. Winthrop finishes his speech saying
that this is a community that will be tightly knit and will always help one another. He believes
that Christianity and government are one, and therefore will have a religious government. He
believes by following these rules and conformities that the people will improve their lives, honor
god, and become the ideal Christian society.
Passages
“There is likewise a double law by which we are regulated in our conversation towards
another. In both the former respects, the law of nature and the law of grace (that is, the moral law
or the law of the gospel)… By the first of these laws, man as he was enabled so withal is
commanded to love his neighbor as himself. Upon this ground stands all the precepts of the
moral law, which concerns our dealings with men” (Winthrop 2).
“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon
us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work we have undertaken, and so cause
him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by- word through the
world” (Winthrop 5).
Anne Bradstreet’s “To My Dear and Loving Husband”
Main Idea: In this poem, Bradstreet is professing the profound love that she has for her husband.
She uses various Puritan beliefs/techniques chief among them being the belief in the afterlife
because she says that her love will survive even after death, through eternity, because that is how
strong her love is for her beloved husband.
Important Passages:
“Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere
That when we live no more, we may live forever” (Bradstreet).
“Thy love is such I can no way repay.
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray” (Bradstreet).
Edward Taylor’s “Huswifery”
Main Idea: Throughout the poem, Taylor is describing how he has been working so hard making
this “robe” and has done it all for God – showing how dedicated he is to God. Taylor feels that
because he has been so committed and obedient to God, he should finally be granted the glory of
God.
Important Passages:
“Then mine apparel shall display before yee
That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory” (Taylor).
“Make me, O Lord, thy Spinning Wheele compleat;
Thy Holy Worde my distaff make for me” (Taylor).
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
"a man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you - see her what
she is...she thinks to dance with me on my wife's grave! and well she might, for i thought of her
softly. God help me, I lusted and there is a promise in such sweat. but it is a whores
vengeance..." - john proctor
"i want to open myself! i want the light of god i want the sweet love of Jesus! i danced for the
devil; i saw him, i wrote in his book; i go back to jesus; i kiss his hand. i saw sarah good with the
devil..." - abigail
"i look for john proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! i never knew
what pretense Salem was, i never knew the lying lessons i was taught by all these christian
women and their covenanted men! and now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? i will not, i
cannot! you loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet"
Enlightenment/Age of Reason
Overview of Period
Main Idea: The Enlightenment/Age of Reason was a time when scientific discovery and
knowledge were prevalent. Beliefs shifted from their original religious routes to a more
intellectual foundation. Questions about the world and how it worked were hypothesized and
answer through scientific methods. The movement began in Europe by the great minds of
Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu and was adapted to early American life by figures such as
Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Core Beliefs/Ideals: The Enlightenment/Age of Reason shows the basic human quest for truth.
Humans constantly feel the need to find an explanation for earthly phenomena. Whether it be the
sun rising or the true shape of the planet earth, the humans have been searching for answers
throughout the course of time.
Benjamin Franklin’s “Autobiography”
Franklin was a self-educated and self-made man. He reflects on these attributes in his
“Autobiography” where he focuses on the quest for moral perfection.
pg 2 of packet: “I wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all
that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into.”
This passage shows his goals and his sense of optimism as he goes into this project. His findings
reveal that “…while my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised
by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for
reason” (second page of packet).
He underwent a process much like the one we did in class where we listed our goals and
recorded our progress for a week, tracking how many times we did not meet our set
requirements. This stresses the belief of perfectibility of human being.
Moral Perfection from The Autobiography “It was about this time I conceived the bold and
arduous project of arriving at moral perfection” (Franklin 55).
Moral Perfection from The Autobiography“…I therefore contrived the following method. In the
various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading, I found the catalog more
or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name”
(Franklin 55).
Benjamin Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
This yearly periodical was written by Benjamin Franklin from 1732 to 1758.Besides containing
useful functions such as a calendar, the weather, and astrological information, the publication
was filled with poems reflecting the Era of Common Sense that was currently present in
America. The most popular of these creative works were the short sayings written by Franklin
himself, most of which advised Americans to work hard and live a virtuous, productive life. Here
are some of the best snippets from Poor Richard’s Almanac:
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise
God helps those who help themselves
A penny saved is a penny earned
These quotes reflect the Age of Reason because they emphasize logical thinking, organization,
and hard work.
Philip Freneau’s “On the Uniformity and Perfection of Nature”
Main Idea: Nature was created by god but is now left to its own devices. Its own intuition of
reason allows it to reach perfection.
Passage 1: “All, nature made, in reason’s sight/ Is order all, and all is right.” Reason is “Right”,
sovereignty of reason.
Passage 2: “Unsettled in its first design/ And erring, when it did combine/ The parts that form the
vast machine/ The figures sketch’d on nature’s scene.” Absentee Landlord and Interest in Nature
Philip Freneau’s “The Wild Honeysuckle”
Main Idea: Nature created the beautiful and untouchable Honeysuckle to be perfect, to be
naturally good, even that of a flower in Eden. However, as nature works and reason holds true,
the beautiful flower will yet perish into what it once was, “If nothing once, you nothing lose/ For
when you die you are the same/ The space between, is but an hour/ The frail duration of a
flower.”
Passage 1: “No roving foot shall crush thee here,/ No busy hand provoke a tear./ By Nature’s self
in white arrayed,/ She bade thee shun the vulgar eye,” Optimism then Individualism
Passage 2: “The flowers that did in Eden bloom;/ Unpitying frosts, and Autumn’s power/ Shall
leave no vestige of this flower.” Interests in Classic’s and Bible, Faith in Natural Goodness, and
Reason
Romanticism
Washington Irving’s “The Devil and Tom Walker”
Main Idea:
Tom Walker and his wife have a very bad relationship. They are not wealthy, and they are not
very loyal to each other. One day on his way home Tom decides to take a shortcut through a
forest where he meets the Blackman, the Devil. The Devil marks Toms forehead and tries to
offer him hidden riches in the forest. Tom heads home, unwilling to commit himself to the devil.
But when he tells his wife of the treasure, she heads into the forest to strike a deal with the Devil.
She is never seen again. Tom is actually happy about the death of his wife and he seeks
acquaintance with the Devil. The devil wants Tom to become and usurer, which he does. Soon
he makes great deals of money, all unethically of course. He realizes this is wrong and tries to
turn things around and begins going to church. But because he does not follow through with the
demands of the Devil, the Blackman himself takes Tom away on horseback.
Important Passages
“About the year 1727, just at the time when earthquakes were prevalent in New England, and
shook many tall sinners down upon their knees, there lived near this place a meager miserly
fellow of the name of Tom Walker. He had a wife as miserly as himself; they were so miserly
that they even conspired to cheat each other” (Page 1).
“Finding Tom so squeamish on this point, he did not insist upon it, but proposed instead that he
should turn usurer; the devil being extremely anxious for the increase of usurers, looking upon
them as his peculiar people.
To this no objections were made, for it was just to Tom’s taste.
“You shall open a broker’s shop in Boston next month,” said the black man.
“I’ll do it to-morrow, if you wish,” said Tom Walker.
“You shall lend money at two per cent. a month.”
“Egad, I’ll charge four!” replied Tom Walker.
“You shall extort bonds, foreclose mortgages, drive the merchant to bankruptcy-”
“I’ll drive him to the d–l,” cried Tom Walker, eagerly.
“You are the usurer for my money!” said the black legs, with delight. “When will you want the
rhino?”
“This very night.”
“Done!” said the devil.
“Done!” said Tom Walker.
So they shook hands, and struck a bargain” (Page 5)
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlett Letter is an idealistic book for romanticism beliefs. It provides nature as a refuge
(Hester and Dimmesdale talking in the woods about their relationship with Pearl in the
background), suspension of disbelief/unlikely characterization (Chillingsworth being fueled by
revenge and once Dimmesdale dies he dies too, Pearl’s fascination with Hester’s A, Pearl as a
whole being so innocent to the world around her), and fascination with the past (references to
The Devil and Tom Walker and The Crucible).
Quotes:
“Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because
it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my
bosom yet!”
“Nor ever will, my child, I hope,” said Hester.
“And why not, mother?” asked Pearl, stopping short. . . . “Will it not come of its own accord,
when I am a woman grown?” (183)
Explanation: Pearl is shown to be very interested in Hester’s A throughout the whole book from
not coming over the brook when Hester isn’t wearing the A to continuously asking where and
why her mother has the A. She in this passage says she can’t wait to get her’s and doesn’t
understand why Hester snaps at her that she doesn’t want one.
Chillingsworth:
“Nothing was more remarkable than the change which took place, almost immediately after Mr.
Dimmesdale’s death, in the appearance and demeanour of the old man known as Roger
Chillingworth.” (231).
Explination: This is suspension of disbelief because at the instant dimmesdale had shown the
crowd his A, also on his chest, chillingsworth dropped dead. He died because there was no more
revenge to be dealt to Dimmesdale therefore no more point in living.
Transcendentalism
“Nature” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
1) The first topic for review is individualism and where Emerson focuses on isolation and
complete solitude in nature. The second topic for review is to discuss is the way Emerson talks
about the importance of imagination when going in nature and how it makes the experience of
nature much more worthwhile. The third topic for review would be to focus upon the points
where he stresses observing nature for self-knowledge to gain intuition. The main idea of nature
is that to recognize connection with the universe, you must go into nature.
2) Key Passages
“We mean the integrity of impression made by manifold natural objects. It is this which
distinguishes the stick of timber of the wood cutter from the tree of the poet” (Emerson 184).
“In the wilderness, I find something more dear and connate than in streets or villages. In the
tranquil landscape, and especially in the distant line of the horizon, man beholds somewhat as
beautiful of his own nature” (Emerson 186).