Author: abarrer6

 

There is nothing more defining and transformative than our experiences of loss, trauma, and hardship. It is during those moments that our religious and spiritual perceptions are altered. Depending on an individual’s personal reaction and coping strategies that could mean one of two things: there is a loss of faith or there is an increase in religious connection and devotion. In 1971, Tomas Rivera published his novel titled …And the Earth did not Devour Him, in which he aimed to capture the daily struggles of the Mexican migrant workers. In his novel, Rivera hoped to not only “document that period of time, but giving it some kind of spiritual strength or spiritual history” (college.cengage.com). …And the Earth did not Devour Him is a significant piece of literature for academics interested in the experiences—including the religious experience—of the Mexican migrant workers at the time. The novel, which is composed of a series of shorts stories and vignettes, captures not only those struggles but also the reactions of the community and their effects on the individual’s religious and spiritual perceptions.

In this essay I will be analyzing two sections of  …And the Earth did not Devour Him—“A Prayer” and “…And the Earth did not Devour Him.” In these two sections, Tomas Rivera does a phenomenal job of capturing two contrasting religious outcomes to the difficult and heartbreaking experiences that some of the characters are enduring. In “A Prayer” the reader finds a mother turning to religion and faith for strength by praying for the well-being of her child. In contrast, in “…And the Earth did not Devour Him” the reader finds a boy angered by circumstance to the point that there is a loss of faith. In these two sections of his novel, Tomas Rivera emphasizes the important role of religion in the migrant worker community. He does so by enforcing the idea that an individual’s experience of hardships can lead to different religious and spiritual perceptions through his use of tone, language, dialogue, and repetition. By using these rhetorical strategies, Tomas Rivera is able to create a clear sense of where the characters are heading with their faith as a consequence of their experiences.

Before closely analyzing Rivera’s text, it is important to gain deeper understanding of the idea that an individual’s experience of loss and other traumatic stressors can lead to different religious and spiritual perceptions. First, it is important to acknowledge that even when an individual possesses a strong sense of faith, there are still moments in which they question the reality of their religion. “The reality of belief, trust, and loyalty always takes place in relation to their counterparts; disbelief, distrust, and infidelity…Even in the best of times and relationships there are moments and perceptions of broken promises, experiences of distrust, and thoughts of disbelief, requiring participants to make decisions towards restoring or abandoning trust and fidelity,” (LaMothe, Trauma and Development: A Faith Perspective, 375). That being said, moments of distress push individuals to make decisions regarding their faith whether it is to abandon it or devote further to their religion.

Secondly it must be noted that and individual’s religion and commitment to it as well as interpretation of it also play a factor in how one would respond. However, “regardless of religious beliefs or affiliations, when faced with trauma or grief, we find ourselves at a crossroads where there are unlimited options, including a bitter rejection of spirituality. But we can also choose to allow the life-altering event to integrate with our personalities” thus coming closer to our religion (Daniel, Losing Faith vs. Gaining Perspective, 22). Daniel provides an example in which someone who sees God only as a protector is likely to feel deceived and that they are being punished during trying times causing anger and disbelief. Others, in contrast, might feel that God allows things to happen for a reason and thus view traumatic stressors as an opportunity for growth.

Third, we must distinguish between the various coping strategies as well as how they fit into the two differing religious perspectives. For the purpose of simplicity I will be using Terri Daniels explanation and distinguishing methods. Daniels separates coping strategies into two categories: “positive religious coping strategies” and “negative religious coping strategies.” Positive being gaining religious perspective or in other words the increasing of faith as well as devotion and negative being the loss faith. According to Daniels, positive religious coping strategies include “seeking spiritual support, …using God as a partner in problem solving, using religion as a distraction from a stressor, actively giving God control of the situation, …seeking a stronger connection with God, and deliberately maintaining religious behavioral standards” (Daniels, Losing Faith vs. Gaining Perspective, 21). Negative religious coping strategies, on the other hand, include feelings of being dissatisfied with one’s relationship to God and identifying the stressor as a form of punishment (Daniels, Losing Faith vs. Gaining Perspective, 21). The religious coping strategies that individuals use affect the ultimate outcome of their religious and spiritual perspectives.

In the section titled “A Prayer” from the novel …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Tomas Rivera brings to life the prayer of a woman whom is worried about the well-being of her son who is at war. The prayer portrays a mother turning to God, religion, and faith to give her strength, support and hope during her time of need. She pleads to God, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary for his safety. “Protect him, my God, that no bullet may pierce his heart…Dear Jesus, save him from the gunfire, have pity on him who is so good…Please, Virgin Mary, you, too, shelter him” (Rivera, …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Loc1000). She allows these religious figures to take control of the situation—a positive religious coping strategy. The fact that she is praying implies to the reader that she has turned to her faith for strength during a time in which she is nervous, upset, and afraid. Rivera creates that tone through his use of repetitive language. Throughout the prayer we see the woman constantly repeat that her son is a good person as well as the phrases “protect him” and “take care of him.” By using repetitive language Rivera creates a tone that portrays the mother’s desperation within her prayer allowing the reader to see her need for strength as well as how she uses religion to maintain that strength that she needs.

In the section titled, “…And the Earth did not Devour Him”, Tomás Rivera portrays a character’s loss of faith after repeated tragedy and feelings of not having control over his circumstances. This section captures a range of reactions that show the readers that a variety of religious coping strategies are used thus leading to different religious and spiritual perspectives as a result of enduring traumatic stresses.  Rivera portrays the loss of faith through the use of anecdotes, repetition, and dialogue as a means of setting that tone.

Rivera place as short anecdote before the actual short story as a way of emphasizing the repetitive suffering that this boy and his family are constantly enduring. The section starts with the protagonists sharing a short anecdote about the first time that he felt hate and anger. “The first time he felt hate and anger was when he saw his mother crying for his uncle and his aunt…He became angry because he was unable to do anything against anyone” (Rivera 1246). The anecdote in this section serves as a form of repetition for the purpose of creating a greater emphasis on the boy’s hatred and anger towards religion.

Rivera also makes great use of dialogue to strengthen his portrayal of the loss of faith. The boy expresses a range of emotions that help set the tone through his dialogue. We know that much of this community relies on religion as a way of remaining sane and strong. The reader finds the mother praying and holding on to the idea that “the poor will go to heaven” and that God will reward them to justify their poverty and suffering. However we see the young boy question his religion because there is so much suffering. “And there you are, helpless, and them, begging for God’s help…why, God doesn’t care about us…I don’t think there even is…No, better not say it” (Rivera, …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Loc 1268). His mother, after noticing her son’s anger, tells him to “to calm down, that everything was in God’s hands and that with God’s help his father was going to get well” (Rivera, …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Loc 1268). The mother and son engage in an argument in which the mother stands by her religion whereas the boy rejects it. Their dialogue captures both the maintaining and loss of faith during a time of distress.

His faith is shattered when he realized that God will not do anything for his father similarly to how he didn’t do anything for his aunt and uncle. “At first he had faith that he would get well soon but by the next day he felt the anger growing inside of him. And all the more when he hear his mother and his father clamoring for God’s mercy…she lit some candles. But nothing happened. It was like his aunt and uncle all over again” (Rivera, …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Loc 1261). The boy openly expresses his dissatisfaction with God by rebelling against his religion and ultimately abandoning his faith, implying that he no longer believes in God. The boy does, however, understand that religion keeps the community strong regardless of the suffering they are enduring. “I guess that at least gives him some hope” (Rivera, 1268) he states referring to his father. The boy’s thoughts create tone of hatred and disbelieve, allowing the reader to understand that the boy’s religious perspective has changed in the sense that he has lost faith.

Rivera does an exceptional job of acknowledging the importance of religion and faith in situations of distress. There are a variety of religious coping strategies which we classified as either positive or negative that ultimately lead to either a growth in religious perspective or the loss of faith. Ramon Saldivar argues that Rivera portrays religion as a “burden of suffering” for the migrant workers because it serves as a justification for crimes against humanity (Sievers, Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra/And The Earth Did Not Devour Him). I propose that by exploring both the loss of faith and devotion to faith, Rivera, aims to neither dismiss religion nor glorify it but simply to acknowledge its importance and its role for the migrant worker’s community which was constantly suffering.

 ANNOTATIONS

 

 

 

Works Cited

Daniel, Terri. “Losing Faith Vs. Gaining Perspective: How Trauma And Loss Can Create A More Spacious Form Of Spiritual Awareness.” Journal Of Spirituality & Paranormal Studies 35.1 (2012): 18-22.Religion and Philosophy Collection. Web. 2 May 2016.

Heath Anthology of American Literature. “Tomas Rivera – Author Page.”CENGAGE Learning. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. <http://college.cengage.com/english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/contemporary/rivera_to.html>.

LaMothe, Ryan. “Trauma and development: A faith perspective.” Pastoral Psychology 47.5 (1999): 373-388.

Rivera, Tomás, and Vigil-Piñón, Evangelina. –And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. Arte Publico Press. Houston, TX. June 29, 2015. eBook.

Julie, Sievers. “Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra/And The Earth Did Not Devour Him.” CULF-1318-10. St. Edward’s, Austin, TX. April 2016. PowerPoint presentation.

Eric Scott’s “Picking Lots” expresses the central idea that everyone’s family and religious traditions are strange to others who do not practice the same ones despite how normal they may seem to us. “And at that moment, I realized that I was the weird one, that my friends were engaging in, at least from the standards of a Midwestern background, completely normal behavior. I just happened to be a sort of behavior to which, due to my upbringing—to my lot in life—I had never been exposed,” (Scott, Picking Lots, paragraph 6). I find it interesting that he makes his point by creating the sense that we are born into our family and religious traditions simply due to fate or by chance depending on what you believe. “I happened to draw the lot of being born to Pagans. I honestly did not realize how strange a fate that was until I was almost twenty,” (Scott, Picking Lots, paragraph 1). By making sure that the reader notes that, Scott emphasizes the fact what we see as strange could easily be what we see as normal just as what we see as normal could be seen as strange.

In his text, Eric Scott, uses a short anecdote as his main literary technique for expressing the central idea of his work. “As an example of what I mean, during that first semester I once arrived early to a friend’s apartment for a nerd party…I walked in and found that half of the people I expected to be at the party had already arrived—because they were having Bible Study…I had never pictured them doing this; it seemed, indeed, unthinkable that I could be friends with anyone who would,” (Scott, Picking Lots, paragraphs 4-5). Scott uses this short anecdote to explain his realization that he is the “weird” one and that perspective of the world had been influenced by the religion he had been born into.

In his novel, …And the Earth did not Devour Him, Tomás Rivera wanted to portray the “suffering and the strength and the beauty . . . [of] the migrant worker[s], the people I had known best.”  I personally believe that he accomplished his goal. That portrayal of suffering and strength is notable in the section titled “…And the Earth did not Devour Him.” This section captures a range of emotions that show the readers that migrant workers did suffer but the way that they dealt with it demonstrated strength, he portrayed those emotions through the use of anecdotes as well as dialogue.

Rivera placed a short anecdote before the actual short story as a way of emphasizing the repetitive suffering that this boy and his family were constantly going through. The section starts with the narrator sharing a short anecdote about the first time that the boy felt hate and anger. “The first time he felt hate and anger was when he saw his mother crying for his uncle and his aunt…He became angry because he was unable to do anything against anyone” (Rivera 1246). The anecdotes that are shared are often tragic and sometimes happy, they serve as a way of emphasizing the suffering as well as the strength of the migrant community.

Rivera also makes great use of dialogue to strengthen his portrayal of suffering and strength in the migrant worker community. The boy expresses a range of emotions through his dialogue. We know that much of this community relies on religion as a way of remaining sane and strong. They hold on to the idea that “the poor go to heaven” to justify their poverty and suffering. However we see the young boy question his religion because there is so much suffering. “And there you are, helpless, And them, begging for God’s help…why, God doesn’t care about us…I don’t think there even is…No, better not say it” (Rivera, 1268). The boy does, however, at one point state the beauty of how religion keeps the community strong regardless of the suffering, although he may not realize it. “I guess that at least gives him some hope” (Rivera, 1268).

The theme in Sonny’s Blues is that poverty and a lack of opportunity result in the prevalence of anger and self-destruction—through the use of drugs in particular. In the beginning pages the narrator is processing what has happened to Sonny and comparing his fate to that of students he is teaching. “I was sure that the first time Sonny had ever had horse, he couldn’t have been much older than these boys were now. These boys, now, were living as we’d been living then, they were growing up with a rush and their heads bumped abruptly against the low ceiling of their actual possibilities. They were filled with rage” (Baldwin, Sonny’s Blues, 2195). Through the text the readers come to understand not only that poverty and a lack of opportunity creates a dark atmosphere that has the potential of leading individuals down a path of drug use but also that it is very difficult to leave drugs and ultimately this life behind. “’You mean—they’ll let him out. And then he’ll just start working his way back in again. You mean that he’ll never kick the habit. Is that what you mean?” (Baldwin, Sonny’s Blues, 2197). At this point the narrator and Sonny’s friend hypothesis that once Sonny is let out he’s likely to go back to drugs because nothing changes. It is interesting that Baldwin chooses to explore this theme through the brother’s point of view rather than doing so through Sonny’s own personal account.

Baldwin uses a variety of literary or rhetorical techniques in his text including comparisons and flashbacks. The flashbacks are used as a means of giving the reader extra information that narrator doesn’t have yet. His use of comparisons are used as a way of helping the reader understand by describing something in a way that perhaps is more relatable to a higher number of people. “All they really knew were two darknesses, the darkness of their lives, which was now closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to the other darkness, and in which they now, vindictively, dreamed, at once more together than they were at any other time, and more alone” (Baldwin, Sonny’s Blues, 2195). Not everyone will able to relate to the type of darkness the author is writing about but by putting in context with the darkness of a movie theater it becomes more understandable—perhaps you are with friends at the movies but when the lights go off it is easy to feel like you are there alone.

 

Slavery was in its time a very controversial issue with people arguing both against it and in favor of it. There was a lot of discussion between the two sides.  Part of that discussion was between individual religious moral values and what is best for the greater public good in regards to the institution of slavery. The other part of that discussion was happening just within religion: anti-slavery advocates would argue that the slavery institution went against Christian beliefs, while those in favor of slavery would argue the opposite basically calling it their Christian duty.  In 1852 a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe was published—titled Uncle Tom’s Cabin—that sought to embody these same discussions on a more individual level. This text is a significant piece of American literature as it gives its readers insight into the complexities of the slavery institution. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s intention is to position herself and her readers against the institution of slavery.

In this essay I will be analyzing just one chapter of Uncle Tom’s Cabin—chapter nine, titled “In Which It Appears That a Senator Is but a Man.” In this chapter there is a discussion of slavery in individual moral values versus what is best for the greater public good. However we see it happen between just two characters rather than a whole country. In chapter nine, “In Which it Appears That a Senator is but a Man,” Stowe emphasizes the negativity of the Fugitive Slave Act and slavery by recreating discussions that were occurring in the country during that time period as well as through the use of historical documents. Additionally she creates characters whose objective is to “awaken sympathy and feeling for the African race” (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, xiii). By addressing both sides of the argument she makes her point strong and by having the moral argument ultimately win this battle she makes her position on the issue clear.

In order to make a strong point, Stowe references historical documents and recreates an argument that was being discussed at the time by putting it into a dialogue of moral implications between a husband and wife. The argument arises after Mr. Bird reveals that a law has been passed and that he voted in favor of it—that law is the Fugitive Slave Act. Although Stowe never clearly states the name of the law, an assumption can be made.  Mr. Bird describes the law as “forbidding people to help off the slaves that come over from Kentucky,” meaning that they are forbidding to shelter, feed, or clothe runaway slaves (Harriet Beecher Stow, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, chapter nine). The description of the seemingly fictional law greatly resembles the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which was built off an earlier version that was passed in 1793. The law “required northerners to provide assistance to slave catchers. It also made it a federal crime to aid fugitive slaves or withhold support for their capture” (Eric Arnesen, The Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850, paragraph 7). The similarities are undeniable, it is likely that Stowe was referencing the Fugitive Slave Act which been passed just two years before the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Through the action of referencing historical documents, Stowe is able to strengthen and her point and make the story realistic and convincing.

            Mrs. Bird is very clearly outraged by the law and at the fact that her husband voted in favor of it. She argues that the law is wrong and she proclaims that she will not obey it. “It’s a shameful, wicked, abominable law, and I’ll break it, for one, the first time I get a chance; and I hope I shall have a chance, I do! Things have got to a pretty pass, if a woman can’t give a warm supper and a bed to poor, starving creatures, just because they are slaves, and have been abused and oppressed all their lives, poor things!” (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, chapter 9). The basis of her argument lies in her Christian beliefs and values, she feels that it is her duty to offer her help to slaves rather than turn them away because that is God’s will and that means that there cannot be any consequences. “Now, John, I don’t know anything about politics, but I can read my Bible; and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the desolate; and that Bible I mean to follow” (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, chapter 9).

Religion was an important factor in the discussions surrounding slavery, “from the 1830s these debates became more intensely religious” (Mark Noll, “Politics,” Religion in American History, 178). It’s important to point out that religion provided both anti-slavery and pro-slavery approaches to the discussion. Pro-slavery advocates argued that “the holding of slaves is lawful, or according to the Scriptures” and that slave owners were  “the guardian and even father of his slaves” (Richard Furman, Exposition of the views of the Baptists, Relative to the Coloured Population in the United States, paragraph 12-13).  Mrs. Bird, however, takes an anti-slavery approach in her views of the relationship between slavery and Christianity. Angelina Grimke wrote in Appeal to the Christian Women of the South, “that slavery is a crime against God and man” and that is the approach that Mrs. Bird takes in her argument. Like Angelina Grimke, Mrs. Bird suggest that if you do have slaves then you ought to treat them well, so well that if you give them their liberty—which you should—they would still wish to remain with you.

Mr. Bird has a different approach to viewing the slavery institution. He thinks that isn’t so much about one’s own individual moral standing, instead it is about what is best for the public interest. He talks about the recklessness of abolitionists and how they are too excited, so much that passing this law seemed like a good way of quieting them. “We mustn’t suffer our feelings to run away with our judgment; you must consider it’s a matter of private feeling,—there are great public interests involved,—there is such a state of public agitation rising, that we must put aside our private feelings”(Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, chapter 9). According to Eric Arnesen, the Fugitive Slave Act was an attempt at reducing the “growing tensions between the North and the South over slavery.” Mr. Bird did not have much else to say for his side of the argument, which really leaves Mrs. Birds moral argument to be emphasized greatly in comparison.

After their discussion concludes, another character is introduced to the chapter—Eliza a slave who had ran away from her masters along with her son Harry. Eliza tells her story—her son was going to be sold. Her presence is an meant to “create sympathy for slaves so that readers might identify with their sufferings” (Evans, True Religion in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 499) , she was driven to commit the action of running way out of desperation to keep her son, showing that slaves do indeed have feelings.  Mrs. Bird has felt the pain of losing a child, this is meant to show that they are not very different, Eliza is just a victim of slavery and circumstance. Her emotional story help the audience understand the negative aspects of slavery.

Mr. Bird is so moved by Eliza that he find himself breaking the law that he himself helped pass. By having Mr. Bird go against his argument, Stowe is again allowing morals to win this discussion and thus it is emphasized that both the slavery institution and the Fugitive Slave Act are wrong and immoral.

            Stowe emphasizes the negativity of slavery by recreating discussions that were occurring in the country during that time period. Ultimately she has the moral argument win the battle, which emphasizes that the Fugitive Slave Act is wrong and immoral. Additionally she introduces Eliza into the chapter in order “awaken sympathy and feeling for the African race” (Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin,xiii). The sympathy evoked by Eliza and her unfortunate circumstance help the reader understand how wrong, hurtful, and dangerous slavery truly. By having the couple help Eliza in the end, Stowe again is emphasizing the idea that slavery and Fugitive Slave Act are both negative and immoral.

 

 

 

 

Work Cited:

Arnesen, Eric. “The Fugitive Slave Acts Of 1793 And 1850.” Cobblestone 24.2 (2003): 7. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 8 Mar. 2016.

Evans, Curtis. “The Chief Glory Of God [Is] In Self-Denying, Suffering Love!”: True Religion In Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Journal Of Religion 92.4 (2012): 498-514. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.

Furman, Richard, Dr. “Rev. Dr. Richard Furman’s EXPOSITION of The Views of the Baptists, RELATIVE TO THE COLOURED POPULATION In the United States IN A COMMUNICATION To the Governor of South-Carolina.” Furman University. A.E. Miller, 1838. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://history.furman.edu/~benson/docs/rcd-fmn1.htm>.

Grimke, Angelina Emily. “APPEAL TO THE CHRISTIAN WOMEN OF THE SOUTH.” University of Virginia. New York: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1836. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://utc.iath.virginia.edu/abolitn/abesaegat.html>

Noll, Mark A. “Politcs.” Religion in American History. Ed. Amanda Porterfield and John Corrigan. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. 173-89. Print.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Gutenberg. The National Era & John P. Jewett and Compan, 20 Mar. 1852. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/203/203-h/203-h.htm>.

 

In The School Days of an Indian Girl, the author, Zitkala-Sa, writes about her transition into an American Boarding school as a young Native American. In this collection of writings she shares some of the most critical moments she experiences. In the first section “The Land of Red Apples” Zitkala-Sa conveys her unfortunate experience as she travels to the boarding school and away from her home. She does this through the use of emotional descriptions. She talks about being stared at and being thrown in the air. “A rosy-cheeked paleface woman caught me in her arms. I was both frightened and insulted by such trifling. I stare into her eyes, wishing her to let me stand on my own feet, but she jumped me up and down with increasing enthusiasm. My mother had never made a plaything off her wee daughter. Remembering this I began to cry aloud” (Zitkala-Sa, The School Days of an Indian Girl, Section 1). She also uses to comparisons, what is happening now and how it would have been at her home to show that she misses her home.

In the second section, titled “The Cutting of My Long Hair,” Zitkala-Sa writes about her rocky experience of cultural separation in which missionaries alter the Native Americans’ appearance [that are a part of their cultural customs]. In this section she emphasized her discomfort and disapproval of the clothes, shoes, and hair lengths that are being worn by other Native American girls, “these were Indian girls, in stiff shoes and closely clinging dresses. The small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair” (Zitkala-Sa, The School Days of an Indian Girl, Section 2). She is fairly direct how she is conveying as her perception of this experience. At first she talks about her experience as just an observer, looking at other Indian girls, but then she herself is changed and it becomes more personal. When she is just an observer, she conveys her feelings through the use of descriptive words such as “immodestly dressed” which makes it clear to the reader that she does not like the way they are she is seeing Indian girls dressed. When it becomes more personal as she herself is being changed, the reader can see the use of dialogue in Zitkala-Sa’s writing. She shares her feelings about what is happening and explains the reason for her feelings. When she learns that her hair will be cut she makes sure to let the reader know why this is so important so that they can understand what she is saying and feeling. “Our mothers had taught us that only unskilled warrior who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy. Among our people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards!” (Zitkala-Sa, The School Days of an Indian Girl, Section 2).

In paragraph 24 of Emerson’s Divinity School Address he continues his criticism of preachers and their true effectiveness and liveliness. In the previous paragraphs he had redefined what it means to be a preacher and he had identified the issues that make preaching bad or ineffective. In paragraph 24 he argues that preachers defraud and deceive worshipers. Emerson goes on to say that Preachers are “spectral” and lifeless in there preaching—they don’t share any of their life experiences, they simply read out of the bible and teach what happened centuries ago to other people. “If he had ever lived and acted, we were none the wiser for it. The capital secret of his profession, namely, to convert life into truth, he had not learned. Not one fact in all his experience, had he yet imported into his doctrine,” (Emerson, Divinity School Address, paragraph 24). Emerson would like see preachers speak more on their history, “real history,” as he puts it, and a preacher who does this is a “true preacher”.

The way Emerson goes about exploring and making his point clear in this paragraph is quite interesting. Similarly to the rest his address, Emerson makes use of many comparisons and descriptions. The one that stood out to me in this paragraph is his comparison of preachers to snow and he points out the contrast between them. “A snow storm was falling around us. The snow storm was real; the preacher merely spectral; and the eye felt the sad contrast in looking at him and then out of the window behind him, into the beautiful meteor of the snow,” (Emerson, Divinity School Address, paragraph 24). By making this comparison, Emerson is able to explore his ideas and put emphasis on them before going on to fully explain what he means in the following sentences.

Often when people think about the American country they think of saying that says America is “the land of opportunity.” There is a conception that in the United States you can climb up the economic latter regardless of your social class because if you work hard then opportunities will present themselves. Benjamin Franklin put a lot of emphasis on the idea that in order to succeed people had to be hard workers.  He assisted in creating and American national identity in which the ideal American is a hard worker.  When Franklin tried to make himself perfect he wrote down a list of 13 virtues, the 6^th read: “Industry. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions,” (Franklin, Autobiography, chapter 9). It was virtue he believed to be important not only in himself for all Americans.  He goes on to say that “Industry and Frugality….enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among the learned,” (Franklin, Autobiography, chapter 9). Franklin has more respect for people who are hard workers.

In ‘The Way to Wealth’ Ben Franklin uses a fallible narrator to get his readers’ attention. He tends to throw out a lot of advice and sayings such as “There are no gains without pains,” and it isn’t always straight forwards, sometimes his advice needs to be interpreted. “Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy,” (The Way to Wealth). In other words, in the end laziness will make things more difficult but if you work hard things will be easier to achieve.  His use of a silly narrator that seems unreliable makes the concepts seem less “heavy.” It lightens the mood while still getting important concepts and serious advice out there. People are more likely to pay attention when it’s humorous rather than demanding.