“The Speech of Polly Baker” by Benjamin Franklin is a leading example of how American writers challenged notions of social injustice and attempted to bring social change. Franklin writes this fictional story about a woman being convicted for giving birth to an illegitimate child and criticizes the laws that punish them. Polly Baker has been convicted of this same crime four times previously but each time, argues that she is not the only one responsible for this transgression. Women are considered in contempt of the law while the men responsible for impregnating them are left completely unpunished. Not only is she criminalized, but is also “excluded from the all the Comforts of [the] Church Communion” and is subjected to “additional Fines and
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“Walden” by Henry David Thoreau attempts to demonstrate the benefits of straying from “civilized society” and learning about life by living in the woods at Walden Pond. He documents the ways in which he was not only able to survive, but learn from the simplicity and beauty of the woods. Thoreau expresses that his interest in such an experience was all in an effort to “live deliberately” so that when “[he] came to die, discover [he] had not lived” (892). He expresses his appreciation for nature and says that “nature is just as well adapted to our weaknesses as to our strengths“(849). Thoreau ultimately believed that nature was the essence of life and it was to be valued for all it did. Much like most Transcendentalist authors, Thoreau ultimately believed in the physical beauty and spiritual truth that lied within nature and believed that without it, life would have no means of …show more content…
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London is an example of how naturalists authors attempted to depict nature as a violent force that was completely unconcerned with humanity’s success. London shares the story of an unnamed man and his battle with nature when journeying through the Yukon Trail. The absence of the sun and the “three feet of ice” all had no effect on the man so, despite better judgment, he ventures on his first winter trip with a dog in 75 degree below zero weather (650). Although had not been mentally or physically prepared for this trip, he “chuckles at his foolishness” and makes several attempts to survive. He finally builds a fire but “the tree which he had [built it] carried a weight of snow on its boughs” and “it grew like an avalanche, and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was blotted out” (656). While he had made his best effort to save himself, nature seemed to be his worst enemy. The man’s ignorance and inability to survive caused him his life. This story challenges notions of Transcendentalism where in the face of nature, man is always insignificant and will always succumb to
“Walden” by Henry David Thoreau attempts to demonstrate the benefits of straying from “civilized society” and learning about life by living in the woods at Walden Pond. He documents the ways in which he was not only able to survive, but learn from the simplicity and beauty of the woods. Thoreau expresses that his interest in such an experience was all in an effort to “live deliberately” so that when “[he] came to die, discover [he] had not lived” (892). He expresses his appreciation for nature and says that “nature is just as well adapted to our weaknesses as to our strengths“(849). Thoreau ultimately believed that nature was the essence of life and it was to be valued for all it did. Much like most Transcendentalist authors, Thoreau ultimately believed in the physical beauty and spiritual truth that lied within nature and believed that without it, life would have no means of …show more content…
“To Build a Fire” by Jack London is an example of how naturalists authors attempted to depict nature as a violent force that was completely unconcerned with humanity’s success. London shares the story of an unnamed man and his battle with nature when journeying through the Yukon Trail. The absence of the sun and the “three feet of ice” all had no effect on the man so, despite better judgment, he ventures on his first winter trip with a dog in 75 degree below zero weather (650). Although had not been mentally or physically prepared for this trip, he “chuckles at his foolishness” and makes several attempts to survive. He finally builds a fire but “the tree which he had [built it] carried a weight of snow on its boughs” and “it grew like an avalanche, and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was blotted out” (656). While he had made his best effort to save himself, nature seemed to be his worst enemy. The man’s ignorance and inability to survive caused him his life. This story challenges notions of Transcendentalism where in the face of nature, man is always insignificant and will always succumb to