From its origin, America’s structure, growth, and culture have been deeply rooted in the novel. Our founding fathers drew inspiration from the works of countless western philosophers while drafting the Constitution and wove ideas from Locke, Hobbes, Marx, and others into the very fabric of our society. American culture is built upon the pages of the novel and its influence extends into every aspect of development throughout American history. In its lengthy relationship with the American people, the novel has instigated a multitude of sweeping social and political changes, but the most notable remains the Civil War. Long before the first bullet of the war had been fired, novelists had begun to fight for the abolitionist cause in the pages of their works, a conflict that eventually overflowed the pages and spilled out onto the battlefield, creating the nation we know today. In the years preceding 1861, the
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An abolitionist herself, she once said, “Talk of the abuses of slavery! Humbug! The thing itself is the essence of all abuse!” Statements like this coupled with Stowe’s frequent utilization of pathos in her delineation of the horrors experienced by slaves, including one slave’s decision to commit suicide when her child is sold, another’s choice to kill her baby to prevent it from having to endure a life of slavery, and a third’s painful death from lashings, permit an intimate relationship between the characters and the reader seldom seen in other literary forms. The novel gained its notoriety as the most effective means of altering public sentiment because of its ability to occupy the position of a spokesperson addressing a divided American public. Its form invites readers to overcome various ideological biases such as their own, “privileged whiteness,” and to empathize with those different from
An abolitionist herself, she once said, “Talk of the abuses of slavery! Humbug! The thing itself is the essence of all abuse!” Statements like this coupled with Stowe’s frequent utilization of pathos in her delineation of the horrors experienced by slaves, including one slave’s decision to commit suicide when her child is sold, another’s choice to kill her baby to prevent it from having to endure a life of slavery, and a third’s painful death from lashings, permit an intimate relationship between the characters and the reader seldom seen in other literary forms. The novel gained its notoriety as the most effective means of altering public sentiment because of its ability to occupy the position of a spokesperson addressing a divided American public. Its form invites readers to overcome various ideological biases such as their own, “privileged whiteness,” and to empathize with those different from