At the beginning of the semester we discussed Christopher Columbus’s Letter to Luis de Santangel and Danticat’s “Maguana 1492” as part of the theme of wonder and horror. I really enjoyed that topic and found it interesting, so for my research paper I discusses how the wonder that was experienced in both of these texts are different. I claim that the wonder Columbus experiences is more fabricated and that he uses marvelous to raise his observations and the land he sees to a level of perfection, thus instilling wonder in the reader. I also claim that the wonder Anacaona experiences, in “Maguana 1492”, is based in difference of cultures and the desire to understand the unusual that is occurring.
To make my argument, I take excerpts from Columbus’s letter that show how he …show more content…
Columbus’s Letter and “Maguana 1492” both fall under the umbrella of the “American imaginary” because both of these texts help to, in a way, explain America today. Christopher Columbus explored all around the Caribbean Islands and he used his letters to inspire wonder in those in Europe. This would eventually encourage further exploration, and the finding of North America, by men such as John Cabot and Ponce de Leon. By finding North America, European countries were able to colonize North America which would eventually lead to the founding of the United States. The different countries having settlements here would be the first steps toward the “melting pot” simile we hear so much of today and that we even pride ourselves on. Also, it’s because of our connections to Europe that the United States developed our “Puritan work ethic” that would overtime develop into our “American Work ethic”. These two things, the melting pot and work ethic, are two American Imaginary and Identity staples that we are taught at a young age in
To make my argument, I take excerpts from Columbus’s letter that show how he …show more content…
Columbus’s Letter and “Maguana 1492” both fall under the umbrella of the “American imaginary” because both of these texts help to, in a way, explain America today. Christopher Columbus explored all around the Caribbean Islands and he used his letters to inspire wonder in those in Europe. This would eventually encourage further exploration, and the finding of North America, by men such as John Cabot and Ponce de Leon. By finding North America, European countries were able to colonize North America which would eventually lead to the founding of the United States. The different countries having settlements here would be the first steps toward the “melting pot” simile we hear so much of today and that we even pride ourselves on. Also, it’s because of our connections to Europe that the United States developed our “Puritan work ethic” that would overtime develop into our “American Work ethic”. These two things, the melting pot and work ethic, are two American Imaginary and Identity staples that we are taught at a young age in