Unity and equality go hand in hand. In order to have equality there must be unity. In John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he makes the claim that all men are born free and equal based on the concept of natural law. His theory was the basis for the Declaration of Independence. However, his idea of equality seemed to only include white men who owned land. Likewise, in Woolson’s Rodman the Keeper, Rodman’s idea of equality, which is based on his own views and values, does not include everyone. I believe that Rodman thinks that the only people that are equal to him are the people who hold the same views as him. He does not think that Southerners, black people, or women are equal to him because they are not like him and do not hold the same
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However, he makes it clear that the side Ward fought for was the wrong side and thus makes it clear that he does not think of him as his equal. Rather then seeing Ward as an equal, Rodman mostly just pities the old man. He calls Ward a “helpless creature” (379) and only sees him as an equal because he was a soldier but not equal as a human being. The same thing happens with Miss Ward. Rodman pities her and talks to her in condescending manner. He thinks very little of her and does not regard her as an equal but merely for what she is – a woman. The only artwork he has in his house in one he paid for and one that describe a woman as a “feather in the wind” (383) that should not be trusted because of his own experiences with an unfaithful woman in his past. This ties in with the idea that to Rodman, only soldiers and men who have the same views as him are equal to him. To conclude, there is no unity or equality in Rodman the Keeper. There is only the equality Rodman perceives based on his own views. He did not think of any of the characters he encountered in the text as equal because they are not like him and do not think that same way that he does. He thinks very little of blacks, Southerners, and women. And sadly, there were a lot of me like him at the time and that is one of the reasons why the country remained broken and divided for as long as it did. Deep down you can tell that he wants unity and equality eventually but whether that includes all is
However, he makes it clear that the side Ward fought for was the wrong side and thus makes it clear that he does not think of him as his equal. Rather then seeing Ward as an equal, Rodman mostly just pities the old man. He calls Ward a “helpless creature” (379) and only sees him as an equal because he was a soldier but not equal as a human being. The same thing happens with Miss Ward. Rodman pities her and talks to her in condescending manner. He thinks very little of her and does not regard her as an equal but merely for what she is – a woman. The only artwork he has in his house in one he paid for and one that describe a woman as a “feather in the wind” (383) that should not be trusted because of his own experiences with an unfaithful woman in his past. This ties in with the idea that to Rodman, only soldiers and men who have the same views as him are equal to him. To conclude, there is no unity or equality in Rodman the Keeper. There is only the equality Rodman perceives based on his own views. He did not think of any of the characters he encountered in the text as equal because they are not like him and do not think that same way that he does. He thinks very little of blacks, Southerners, and women. And sadly, there were a lot of me like him at the time and that is one of the reasons why the country remained broken and divided for as long as it did. Deep down you can tell that he wants unity and equality eventually but whether that includes all is