Similarities Between the American and the Back Settlers
Philip Slater and Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur have both created works that accurately depict the attitude and actions of their respective subjects. Slater devotes an entire parable to describe the actions of a man dubbed the “American” (xxii) in his best-selling book, The Pursuit of Loneliness (1970). Prior to writing this best-seller, Slater graduated from Harvard University and became a professor of sociology. Alternatively, Crèvecoeur dedicates a few paragraphs in Letters from an American Farmer in order to precisely show exactly what “back settlers” (71) are, how they act in society, and why. Before writing his book, Crèvecoeur was a French writer and a naturalist. He immigrated to Canada and worked as a surveyor in the French and Indian War, and later journeyed to America in the eighteenth century to work as a farmer. Consequently, while there are obvious differences between the American and the back settlers, there are also qualities and traits that are extremely similar between the two that define the American personality.
In The Pursuit of Loneliness by Philip Slater, he describes an American as a man who is arrogant, selfish, and does not take responsibility for his own actions. However, he is also intuitive, …show more content…
Both Slater and Crèvecoeur note the individualism and self-sufficiency of the American and back settlers, respectively. Additionally, both wish to keep their sense of independence by living in the woods and actively showing disinterest in their government and society. They do this by not conforming to rules set by the government, unless it suits them as well. The stark resemblance between these two just goes to show how the behavior shown by Americans remains constant throughout years of
Philip Slater and Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur have both created works that accurately depict the attitude and actions of their respective subjects. Slater devotes an entire parable to describe the actions of a man dubbed the “American” (xxii) in his best-selling book, The Pursuit of Loneliness (1970). Prior to writing this best-seller, Slater graduated from Harvard University and became a professor of sociology. Alternatively, Crèvecoeur dedicates a few paragraphs in Letters from an American Farmer in order to precisely show exactly what “back settlers” (71) are, how they act in society, and why. Before writing his book, Crèvecoeur was a French writer and a naturalist. He immigrated to Canada and worked as a surveyor in the French and Indian War, and later journeyed to America in the eighteenth century to work as a farmer. Consequently, while there are obvious differences between the American and the back settlers, there are also qualities and traits that are extremely similar between the two that define the American personality.
In The Pursuit of Loneliness by Philip Slater, he describes an American as a man who is arrogant, selfish, and does not take responsibility for his own actions. However, he is also intuitive, …show more content…
Both Slater and Crèvecoeur note the individualism and self-sufficiency of the American and back settlers, respectively. Additionally, both wish to keep their sense of independence by living in the woods and actively showing disinterest in their government and society. They do this by not conforming to rules set by the government, unless it suits them as well. The stark resemblance between these two just goes to show how the behavior shown by Americans remains constant throughout years of