I would like to divulge on the idea that the widow and Charley visiting the South is a metaphor for the country as a whole. Ten years after such a tramatic event like the Civil War is not a long time. The country was in a state of reidentifying itself; are we still North vs. South or are a single nation. People had to subcomb to a new idea of the nation. They were beginning to identify themselves as citizens of one great nation instead of two seperate regions.
The widow and Charley represent the new hope for the nation. They represent the idea that American can come together. What was once hatred and termoil, is now opportunity and ambition. The widow sees the South as the chance to embrace something new, "She was tired of New York and New Yorkers, and of the daily grinding them up into newspaper correspondence wherewith to earn her bread. To become an explorer, to adventure into the lairs of bears and wolves, at so cheap a cost as an excursion ticket over the Air-line Railroad..." (p.246).
Davis is telling us whatever perceptions we were subjected to, were now to be thrown out the window. The idea Notherners had of the South would now change, and visa versa. She is telling her readers to open their eyes and explore the great nation we live in. It is yours, embrace it. This is the first reading which is richly discriptive of a country setting, "There were the dark, waving plumes of the American ivy, the red cornucopias of the trumpet-creeper, morning-glories with great white blossoms, the passion-flower trailing its mysterious purple emblems through the mud beneath the oxen's feet,-all creeping or turning in some way toward the river." (p.254).
In no way shape or form is Davis reminding people to embrace the memories of Uncle Tom's Cabin. American's loathed the South after reading this book. She is saying, now, after a great war, embrace the idea of a united America. Forget the stererotypes and explore. Remember your history and learn from it.
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In this story I thought it was very ironic on how the author depicted the south completely opposite of what we have seen before in literature. I thought it was awesome how you took it a step further by showing what the characters represented in our nation. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how you talked about the message that Davis was trying to make because I did not pick up on this when I initally read it. I really like how you say, "She is telling her readers to open their eyes and explore the great nation we live in." Now that you have brought this to my attention I really see this. She really is telling the readings to rid themselves of their stereotypes and misconceptions of what they don't know and embrace everything. I also really like how you talk about Charley and the Widow representing hope and how she was just looking for a new beginning. I agree with this very much. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteJessica, I liked how you perceived the nation, as a whole, in a state of reinventing itself. That is so true. After the war, people's feelings were changing, whether they be a part of the North or South.
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