Question

Throughout history, literature has been used as a form of protest. Choose two selections from this unit (early American literature) and explain why they can be thought of as protest literature. Discuss each selection in its own complete paragraph.

Answer 1

Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden' serve as prominent examples of early American protest literature, focusing on the issues of slavery and industrialization respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

Throughout the history of early American literature, certain works have been prominently used as mediums for protest. One such piece is Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), which served as a form of protest literature against the institution of slavery. Stowe's novel was instrumental in stirring abolitionist sentiment in the North and became an influential factor leading up to the Civil War. This work can be seen as a direct response to the inhumanities of slavery and a powerful tool for advocating social change. Another example is Henry David Thoreau's Walden (1854), which also acts as a form of protest literature, focusing on the drawbacks of industrialization and advocating for a closer relationship with nature. Through this work, Thoreau not only protests against the social conformity of the time but also emphasizes the necessity of environmental conservation. Hence, both Uncle Tom's Cabin and Walden effectively embody significant historical protest movements within their texts, seeking to influence societal perspectives and incite action.