From its beginnings, American literature was dominated by the theme of man’s relationship with nature on the newfound continent. The New World had all the lures of an earthly paradise, with a generous land and a breathtaking landscape. In the beginning of the colonization period, America was the pristine, unspoiled country that provided the civilized man with the unique possibility of renewing his life on earth.
After the Europeans discovered America, they started exploring it. The first colonies gradually expanded and the frontier moved deeper and deeper into the heart of the continent. The gradual frontier expansion thus marked the destiny of the American people and influenced the development of their culture. From its earliest history therefore, the American land was cherished as a natural treasure, to be explored and conquered. American literature reflects the importance of nature as a part of the people’s destiny.
The westward thrust of the frontier and the permanent conquest of new territory from the indigenous populations encouraged the feeling that the country was in a continuous state of development and progress. The expansion meant progress and it implemented the idea of advancement into the minds of the new people.
As it shall be seen, each of the four works analyzed here mirror a different aspect of the relationship between man and nature, also being representative for a particular epoch in the history of the United States. Each of the four protagonists has his own unique experience with nature, which translates the essence of the European experience in America: the conquest of a land with no history but with an abundant nature.
The Essay on Native Americans Or The Indigenous People Of America Comprise A
Native Americans or the indigenous people of America comprise a great number of distinct ethnic groups, tribes, and states. However, despite their cultural diversity and the fact that cultural features peculiar to ethnic groups significantly vary from one tribe to another, here are several main features that are shared by indigenous people in their American Indian Culture (excluding Mexico), prior ...
James Fennimore Cooper’s The Pioneers captures an earlier stage of the colonization, when the civilized man still struggled to conquer the wilderness. The highly descriptive and adventurous story represents the life of the colonists at the heart of the wilderness where the first settlements flourished. The book emphasizes precisely man’s struggle to overcome nature. The wonderful descriptions that abound in the book reveal the richness of the land but also the dawn of civilization and, implicitly, of destruction. The world that Cooper represents is therefore torn between two diverging tendencies: the still thriving natural forces and the menacing force of civilization that has set in.
The characters in the narrative also hesitate between these two attitudes. Judge Marmaduke and Richard Jones, for instance, are the ones that encroach upon the natural world and threaten its balance. On the other hand, Natty Bumppo, a woodsman, lives in close connection with nature, respecting and treasuring it. One of the poignant examples that the narrative offers on this point is a massacre of pigeons in which the colonists take place.
The hunt of the innocent birds repels Natty Bumppo, who endeavors to dissuade the man of their savage purpose. In doing so, Bumppo reveals the essence of his philosophy. He argues that man should not violate nature without a definite purpose. Man’s relationship with nature presupposes a peaceful and dignified exchange: he should only take as much as he needs and furthermore understand his dependence on nature for his primary needs.
Bumppo therefore captures the pernicious effects that civilization will have on the natural abundance of America: “Ain’t the woods His work as well as the pigeons? Use, but don’t waste. Wasn’t the woods made for the beasts and birds to harbor in? And when man wanted their flesh, their skins, or their feathers, there’s the place to seek them” (Cooper 212).
Cooper’s narrative points out to the transition of the American land towards civilization. While man triumphs over nature, the natural world suffers and wanes.
The Essay on Views Of Mans Nature
Mans nature can be looked at in many different ways. Observing a few of the several views helps one to appreciate all of the positive and negative characteristics man has brought forth. The majority of the views are negative, or pessimistic, and they are attracted to the thought of whether man has any hope, whereas the positive views focus on the outstanding needs and abilities of man. Christmas ...
