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Literature In A Divided Nation

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English

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ENG 201

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Literature in a Divided Nation

Authors in post-colonial America, especially those who plied between early to mid-

1880 are regarded as national treasures, whose writings expressed the spirit of the people as a

whole. They took time to listen to different views held by people and expressed these views

alongside theirs. At that time, America was healing from the effects of colonization from

Britons, Dutch, and even the French, who settled and ruled specific parts of America. Many

revolutions occurred in the nation, among them the War of 1812. However, although

Americans were united against other countries, they were a divided nation, who could not

agree on ending slavery among other topics that were popular at the time.

Primarily, authors such as Edgar Allan Poe lived during this time. His work was

symbolic as he used symbols such as animals to put across his points and critique the specific

occurrences. For instance, in ‘Metzengerstein’ the main character von Berlifitzing is murdered

by Metzengerstein, his soul passes into a horse which kills the murderer (Poe, Edgar Allan

and Stephen Peithman 29). The metaphor here demonstrates that people ought to treat others

as they would want to be treated, for consequences are as weighty as the actions necessitating

them.

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Irving character, Rip Van Winkle is a character that undergoes significant changes

after sleeping for twenty years. In his past life, he was a lazy man who did not provide for his

family. That was a mock to some people who were unproductive at the despite being in good

health and capable of toiling to provide for his family. Although he was lazy, people thought

he was a good-natured man, but his wife was not blind to his laziness and never stopped

calling him out for being lazy. (Irving, Alan Hines and Thomas Sperling 31)The characters in

the story remind Van of the Dutch, who unlike him, were hardworking and influenced people

to join their churches and influenced the culture of the Americans they found in the New

World. Ultimately, the story discusses how fast Americans were ready to take up their

visitors’ way of life and how the few who rebelled were called out and forced to adapt to the

Englishman's way of life, including the church.

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Surname 1 Name Course Tutor Date Literature in a Divided Nation Authors in post-colonial America, especially those who plied between early to mid1880 are regarded as national treasures, whose writings expressed the spirit of the people as a whole. They took time to listen to different views held by people and expressed these views alongside theirs. At that time, America was healing from the effects of colonization from Britons, Dutch, and even the French, who settled and ruled specific parts of America. Many revolutions occurred in the nation, among them the War of 1812. However, although Americans were united against other countries, they were a divided nation, who could not agree on ending slavery among other topics that were popular at the time. Primarily, authors such as Edgar Allan Poe lived during this time. His work was symbolic as he used symbols such as animals to put acro ...
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Tags: english american literature