Eighteenth Century Response Journal: Reflection of Experiences of Minority Members of Society and How They Shaped Politics
The readings presented regarding eighteenth century society suggest that during this time in the world much judgment, criticism and incongruence existed within society. Each of the readings reflects the personal experiences and hardships that non-majority members of society faced during the revolutionary and post revolutionary era. The writings suggest that during this time little tolerance of cultures, beliefs and values that existed outside of the white male majority existed. Despite this minority members of society including Native Americans, African Americans and women continually attempted to assert their presence and gain a voice within society. Through analysis of significant quotes and examination of personal relations and societal connections, this journal will reflect on the experiences of minority members of society during the eighteenth century and reflect on how the experiences of this subgroup helped shape interpersonal relationships and politics of the era. The journal will also reveal what literary devices are embraced within the text to emphasize the themes of cultural awareness, race and prejudice. The readings represent a need to increase cultural awareness regarding the inequalities experienced by minorit
In "The Speech of Polly Baker" the main character acts as an antagonist, providing the main conflict within the story. Polly is considered someone by the law who has done wrong by conventional moral standards, yet interestingly the main character provides a convincing case regarding why she should be considered innocent and treated with mercy and understanding. Through the text the reader can see Polly is characterized as a reasonable rather than law breaking citizen, someone who believes her actions are not morally evil, but rather that she is a simple woman attempting to live life in a just and reputable manner. The piece on educating children represents the climax of the themes presented. This piece suggests that people should live their lives more like children, who are often free from the harsh penalties associated with prejudice and discrimination. As the text suggests children tend to live their lives with little regard for what is right or wrong, simple taking pleasure in the moment and accepting all for who they are rather than judge others for what they perceive them to be. The conflict addressed in the earlier stories is not evidenced here. The next reading by Murray however contrasts all the inequality and judgment elaborated upon thus far, suggesting that children are representative of how society might be judiciously organized. Children are according to the text, "free from every restraint, pursue, unmolested their amusements, and of their innocent mirth not seldom partakes" (p. 1192). The literary devices utilized by the author include allegory, where every aspect of the stories presented are representative of the inequality and need for improved cultural awareness or acceptance by mainstream members of society for the various rituals, beliefs and values of members of the minority population. This is most clearly evidenced in the piece on savages, where the text portrays how judgmental and critical white man is of the Native American's ways, primarily because the white man does not understand why it is the savages do the things they do. The piece "Contested Voices, American Voices" as well as "The Speech of Polly Baker" provide compelling allegories of human nature, representing how culturally unaware the primary characters are through their antagonisms and harsh judgments of minority populations. The works reveal the stubborn natu
Some common words found in the essay are:
Polly Baker, Native Americans, Polly Franklin, Americans Natives, African Americans, Life Neighborhood, , Ben Franklin, Code Laws, American Voices, cultural awareness, native americans, literary devices, eighteenth century, text suggests, including native americans, americans women, african americans, speech polly, including native, minority society, witch trial piece, increase cultural awareness, speech polly baker,
Approximate Word count = 1605
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
