Under The Lion's Paw Poem Analysis

The American writers following the end of the Civil War often feature situations where individuals face confrontations of various kinds. The confrontations that are included in nineteenth century American literature are important to examine because they allow the current reader, along with readers past, to become knowledgeable of the issues that were relevant and interesting at the time of their publication. The included confrontations need to be exposed. First, characters in literary fiction in the second half of the nineteenth century find themselves in confrontations with nature. A prime example of a confrontation between characters and nature occurs in Hamlin Garland’s story, “Under the Lion’s Paw”, when the Haskins family explains that their misfortunes were a result of ravaging grasshoppers. …show more content…
Societal conditions can lead to confrontation, and Red Cloud’s speech “All I Want Is Peace and Justice” is an outcry for reformation of treatment against the Sioux by the American troops. George Washington Cable thought that society mistreated the ex-slaves, so his confrontation was written out in “The Perpetual Alien” when he says that reformation must occur until “the whole world shall answer, “Yes”” in regards to if a freedman is truly a free man. Another example of societal confrontation is in “The Souls of Black Folk” by W. E. B. DuBois. This piece is a call to action for those that agree with DuBois’ idea that Booker T. Washington was wrong to advocate for “a policy of submission” instead to pressing forward for full and equal rights for African Americans. Society is confronted in a different manner by Andrew Carnegie’s “Wealth” because he not only examines the rich versus poor society, but also how one can go about changing society in different ways using money to achieve a lasting impact instead of dying “unwept, unhonored, and unsung” due to the lack of