Alcohol in A New Home, Who’ll Follow? A New Home, Who’ll Follow? is a book set in the woods of lower Michigan. It includes many stories of Mary Clavers’ new, backwoods neighbors. Since she is moving from New York, she encounters many different situations, norms, views, and values that are very different from that which she was accustomed to in New York. One norm that she comes across in Michigan that is very different to New York is the use of alcohol. A New Home, Who’ll Follow? includes recurring references to encounters with the use of alcohol in order to show the detriment of using alcohol in such a heavy and prominent way. A New Home, Who’ll Follow? is set in 1830s Michigan, a time of its expansion. During this time, and long before, there was an excess of drinking. By 1830, the average American was consuming about seven gallons of pure alcohol per year. However, around this time period, a movement was spreading: the temperance movement.
Temperance movement, movement dedicated to promoting moderation and, more often, complete abstinence in the use of intoxicating liquor. Although an abstinence pledge had been introduced by churches as early as 1800, the earliest temperance organizations seem to have been …show more content…
Clavers gave many hints at how different Michigan was to New York, but exactly in a good way. She herself was an example of how primitive and wild Michigan seemed in comparison to New York. The snake encounter with Fanny in chapter sixteen shows how barbarian this place was to her. One way that Michigan was different to New York was in drinking. In many encounters she has with alcohol and its consumers, she makes her discomfort known to her reader through her thoughts. Since she comes from the state where the temperance movement was founded, New York, her dislike of alcohol and its effect have possibly stemmed from that foundation of her
Temperance movement, movement dedicated to promoting moderation and, more often, complete abstinence in the use of intoxicating liquor. Although an abstinence pledge had been introduced by churches as early as 1800, the earliest temperance organizations seem to have been …show more content…
Clavers gave many hints at how different Michigan was to New York, but exactly in a good way. She herself was an example of how primitive and wild Michigan seemed in comparison to New York. The snake encounter with Fanny in chapter sixteen shows how barbarian this place was to her. One way that Michigan was different to New York was in drinking. In many encounters she has with alcohol and its consumers, she makes her discomfort known to her reader through her thoughts. Since she comes from the state where the temperance movement was founded, New York, her dislike of alcohol and its effect have possibly stemmed from that foundation of her