American Literature - Essay Example

? American Literature Answer 1a Among the most significant characteristics that should be present in an ideal man, according to Thoreau, there is the one under which a man should be innately good, should withdraw from society in order to build a strong association with nature and ultimately learn from the nature and develop intellectually as well as spiritually during this interaction (Mariott 122). Answer 1b All these characteristics are quite important for the spiritual development of individuals as the societal rules and regulations are more demanding than what nature would have been ordained. Human beings are more materialistic and tend to focus on their physical assets instead of their spirituality, which brings about the real sense of self-actualization and happiness. So in order to move towards extensive self-development one must relate to nature and should abstain from those societal norms that may hinder in the spiritual development of an individual (Mariott 120). Answer 1c Franklin would have considered these characteristics as superfluous as his view and approach seemed to be rather more rational instead of being creative, more logical and sequential. So he would have proposed a materialistic approach of life to be more satisfying and contending than to leave or withdraw from the societal norms for the sake of spiritual development. He would have focused on more physically assets accumulation to be a way f successful life instead of leaving these worldly gains for the sake of inner satisfaction and development. Answer 2a Hester Pyrenne behavioural characteristics that could be accounted for transforming her from an ordinary human to a more motivated and developed individual include her resistance to conform to the societal norms and consider herself as a victim of society. Moreover, she instead of considering herself a mere victim of the societal rules and regulations keeps herself committed to people in her lives (husband as well as Dimmesdale). She brings up her daughter as a more reluctant individual and a true rebellion against the society. She withdraws herself from the society so that she is least influenced by such actions. Moreover, she builds a strong association with nature and thus learns from the nature to develop her internally (Hawthorne 12). Answer 2b    The characteristics identified in the character of Hester Prynne conform to the characteristics identified in the ideal man of Thoreau. Those characteristics involved seclusion from the society, fighting against the societal norms as well as while withdrawing from the society; she interacts with the nature and thus undergoes a phase of internal development. Moreover the circumstances have been what Thoreau depicts as a contrasting nature of society and nature as the society considered Hester a sinner who should be punished but she had remain firm in keeping the name of father of Pearl undiscovered until and unless he confesses it on his own (Hawthorne 20). Answer 2c Although it seems that Hester’s role truly depicts the model presented by Thoreau, her role contrast with the model too. Her action of getting involved in an extra marital affair could be regarded as her desire towards more physical possessions instead of her inner growth. Moreover when she wishes to run away from Boston with her lover, she again dismisses the inner satisfaction she attained through interacting with nature (Hawthorne 25). Answer 3a Three important characteristics of the behaviour of Arthur Dimmesdale’s in THE SCARLET LETTER is his self obsession of being a sinner and a cause of disrespect to a woman. Moreover although the adultery should be convicted to both partners, Dimmesdale being the Minister was denied the societal punishment while the woman being pregnant was ordered a punishment. The inner dissatisfaction of Dimmesdale resulted in a fight between his inner as well as the physical states and the increased guilt of his act lead him towards death. The inner morality was the reason behind the Dimmesdale’s intense feelings of guilt that deteriorated his health and paved his ways to death (Hawthorne 51). Answer 3b These characteristics may be regarded as conforming to Thoreau’s model of an ideal man in the way Dimmesdale struggled through an internal fight against the societal norms while physically keeping him part of the society. Punishing himself secretly in the manner Hester was openly punished provides a way he wanted to get rid of his inner guilt over being part of the same act. His physical deterioration with the passage of time due to intensified guiltiness depicts the struggle he was undergoing while fighting with his physical and inner states. Moreover his admission of the sin at the end makes him relieved from the intensified guiltiness and thus causes him to die with a satisfied heart admitting Pearl as his daughter and letting the society know that he had been undergoing a self destruction due to guilt of abandoning his child just for the sake of society (Hawthorne 60). Answer 3c According to Thoreau, the ideal man should not conform to the society as society is always in a conflict with the laws of nature. The Dimmesdale’s act of involving into an extramarital affair depicts his desire of more physical nature instead of inner development which does not conform with the Thoreau’s explanation of the characteristics of an ideal man. Moreover, in order to conform to the society, Dimmesdale prohibits himself from admitting his part of the sin imposed on Hester. This conformance to the societal expectations physically is in contrast to the Thoreau’s characteristics. His withdrawal from the society was not physical and only his internal state had been withdrawing from the society. His physical association with the society does not conform to the Thoreau model (Hawthorne 82). Answer 4a The way Usher withdrew from society is quite different from that depicted and explained by Thoreau. Usher’s withdrawal was for the sake of keeping his bloodline intact. His withdrawal didn’t result in an association with the nature. Moreover, his withdrawal from the society was for the physical assets in the form of House of Usher and caused his obsessive association with his twin sister. His seclusion was a result of increased self love. Since he was more involved and interested in the physical needs, he didn’t undergo any inner development by interacting with nature and was becoming more and more internally weakened with the passage of time like his house and the only sibling (Poe 15). Answer 4b Due to the withdrawal of Usher from the society being a result of his physical interests, his health deteriorated along with the condition of his sister and the house of Usher with the passage of time. Usher develops the increased sensitivity with the passage of time. The change in the physical appearance of Roderick was so intense that he was not identified by the narrator. Roderick's distorted appearance likely was induced by his mental illness accompanied with habitual fearfulness, incoherence and increased nervous agitation. So the adverse impacts of the seclusion of Usher depicts that his seclusion was not for the sake of internal development but for the sake of physical possessions that had been inherited being a part of the Usher family (Poe 20). Answer 4c Thoreau’s method of withdrawal from the society is entirely different from that is depicted in the House of Usher. Thoreau’s withdrawal was based upon the conflict between the nature and the society. It was not to serve the physical assets but for the sake of internal peace and spirituality. The withdrawal from society in Thoreau model is induced by the motivation to move towards self actualization instead of self deprivation resulting from increased personal involvement in the physical belongings and assets of this world, His withdrawal focuses on spiritual development through interaction with nature in a way that does not result in physical deterioration of the world. According to Thoreau, there are four seasons that predict the phase a man is undergoing in his life. No matter at what stage a man is the life will enter into spring season eventually that is mentioned as a season of re-birth, revitalization and re-development (Mariott 121). Answer 4d The impact of this withdrawal on the life of Thoreau was his enhanced spirituality and peaceful inner state. He notices himself to be undergoing a phase of re-birth that is depicted as the arrival of spring season in his life. He ensures that the interaction of human with nature results in departing of the focus of human from physical belongings towards more innate needs, inner development and the physical needs are thus subordinated with the enhanced spirituality (Mariott 120). Answer 4e The way Usher withdrew from society was quite different from that adopted by Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale was secluded from the society due to his enhanced self-evaluation considering himself as a cause of Hester’s sufferings and an equally punishable person. His guilt gradually led him to self-destruction in the way that his physical state started worsening. Whereas the withdrawal of Usher was for the sake of confining his wealth and ensuring the physical assets are not shared (Poe 20). Usher’s withdrawal resulted in a physical as well as internal deterioration while in Dimmesdale’s case the physical deterioration was an outcome of guilt, a more inner developed sense. The Usher life was deteriorated due to his fear of losing his physical obsessions while Dimmesdale suffered due to the inner realization of his act that caused Hester to suffer alone. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter, a Romance. Fields, Osgood, & co., 1871. Print. Mariott, Shannon L. Thoreau’s Democratic Withdrawal: Alienation, Participation, and Modernity. University of Wisconsin Press, 2010. Print. Poe, Edgar Allan. The fall of the House of Usher. The Floating Press, 2011. Print. Read More