Summary Of William Dean Howells's A Traveler From Altruria

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Register to read the introduction… There is a definite distinction between the modern cultures of both regions. The first lesson that the novelist teaches the Altrurian is that a man of upper class should not help someone of a lower class after Mr. Homos attempts to aid the serving staff around him at the hotel. The novelist responds to these actions by saying, “It is my duty to you, as my guest, to tell you that this thing of doing for other is not such a simple matter here, as your particular training leads to you think…America is a republic where every man is for himself, and you cannot help others as you do at home,” (Howells 63). The definite class distinction seems to bother the Altrurian because he believed America to have abandoned such a system when the Revolution began. He believes that all are equal as in …show more content…
There, every person works a certain number of hours daily and in exchange were provided with the required necessities. This baffles the novelist because he cannot imagine a society that does not function without money. “People here have to live by their work, and to live they must have money” (Howells 41). Money is a factor that helps to distinguish between the different social casts in America. It sets certain people who have great wealth apart from those who are stricken to poverty. In Altruria, they have no money and therefore no social class distinction. When people are all equal, then they are more likely to work as one society and to care more about their country as a whole rather than just themselves. Another character that Howells uses to describe American society is the minister. Altruria was founded on Christian principles and beliefs similarly to America. The Altrurian believes that the minister should live a devout life and should also encourage others to follow in such a lifestyle. The minister tells the Altrurian that he does preach the idea of virtue to others but that he has no idea why people in America are not as willing as the Altrurians. The minister and Mr. Homos also discuss the different classes and social recognition. The minister

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