Honors section discussion question for 11/29/07
As you were warned this morning, we will be discussing the sentimental novels on Thursday. Please have Charlotte Temple and one of the others read or at least looked at by then. What I would like you to consider is the value of novels like this as historical sources.
Why were books like this (especially Charlotte Temple) such a hot sellers in the Early American Republic? In what ways did the novels' themes seem to resonate with the social experience of young American readers in this period? Could such novels have actually influenced people's thinking, as some historians have suggested? How?
You don't have to answer every question above, but please answer some of them as substantively as you can.
Why were books like this (especially Charlotte Temple) such a hot sellers in the Early American Republic? In what ways did the novels' themes seem to resonate with the social experience of young American readers in this period? Could such novels have actually influenced people's thinking, as some historians have suggested? How?
You don't have to answer every question above, but please answer some of them as substantively as you can.
posted by Jeff Pasley at 10:31 PM
8 Comments:
All aspects of popular culture (whether it be novels, plays, films, or TV shows) have merit as historical sources. Novels such of this not only could have influenced people's thinking, but novels like this did influence popular thought of the time.
Most novels, or creative works in general, are created by the the creative, advanced, forward thinking sections of the population. Authors take the pen and the page, especially when published anonymously as Power of Sympathy originally was, as a platform to further ideas that may not have been thought about in the past. These thoughts, whether novel or not, are then spread throughout the general population. This, of course, happens more so with the bestsellers such as Charlotte Temple.
The question as to why these books were such hot sellers is directly addressed by Brown in Power of Sympathy in letters 11 and 12. First he speaks as to why young girls read: In the voice of Miss Bourn, "...it may afford amusement, while I am employed, I do not remember a single word..." And more directly by Mr. Holmes, "...just calculated to kill time..." Brown then talks about why adults prefer these sentimental novels to be read. A couple reasons: moralistic, not too demanding, and easily prescribed or proscribed.
Here I have addressed a question or two. I may tackle the third later.
'Til then,
* ADIEU!
I read Charlotte Temple over break and am almost finished with The Coquette and Power of Sympathy. I thoroughly enjoyed both novels, and found them to be excellent insight on the world of young adults in the late 18th and early 19th century. While the novels are fiction and surely are dramatized for the desired effect by the authors, they both offer historical importance in several ways. First, Charlotte Temple and The Coquette were both written by female authors, which was still uncommon at the time of their first publication. In order to be "best-seling" authors, both women would have had to be well-educated. The advancement in the education of the authors is inspiring to young ladies to further their own education, and sets a precedent for inteligent, capable females. Second, all of the novels do give an insight into the lives and thoughts of young people, as well as the fears and moral codes pressed upon them by society. Although the situations are dramatized, their intent demonstrates a desire for control and proper moral conduct of young people in society.
The novels were most likely hot sellers because they were relatable, and presented moral lessons acceptable to parents, while telling a compelling drama intriguing to young people.
The novels' themes of marriage, proper social conduct, expectations of parents, and friendship and love resonated with the experiences of young American readers in this period because that was the focus. Many young people spent much of their childhood and youth preparing for future responsibilities as delegated to them by their elders. Such responsibilities, like choosing the proper marriage partner, maintaing one's finances and estates, and being a morally upstanding citizen are the core of Charlotte Temple, The Coquette, and Power of Sympathy.
After reading said novels, I do believe that they had the power to instruct and influence young people in their decisions and conduct. All of the novels presented a clear herione/hero, and all the issues were resolved when the characters recognized the importance of upholding their duties and taking the moral "high road".
Books like Charlotte Temple were probably popular to American readers because it emphasized all of the good and exciting things that would draw the main character to America. The novel emphasizes the still “new-ness” of America as its own country. The melodramatic style in which it was written was still new, and therefore appealing.
One of the themes in Charlotte is relying on one’s emotions. Charlotte made decisions in the novel based on her person wishes and emotional desires, rather than societal rules and expectations. This type of thinking is in line with the philosophy of Hobbes- that humans operate based on their own personal wants. This theme was present in the philosophy during the time that Charlotte was published, which contributed to the novel’s popularity. The definition of sentimentalism (because this is a sentimental novel) is- the excessive expression of feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia in behavior, writing or speech OR the emphasis of the goodness of humanity. The idea of sentimentalism contradicted other philosophies that preached that humans were inherently bad. This newer view, that humans are born good, was becoming popular and therefore helped the popularity of this novel.
Also, the sentimentalist novels were more compelling to read compared to other novels of the time. Putting these philosophies into widely-read books could certainly influence the views of the Americans that read them.
I believe books like Charlotte Temple were very popular in the early American Republic because of the romanticized image of America and its innocence as well as its freshness and beauty. Young people of this period very experiencing a social revolution, and many began having premarital sex and choosing their soul mates instead of having them chosen for them. Thus, stories like these can easily relate to young people of that time. Also, I strongly believe these sentimental novels influenced the thinking of their readers because a mass media as great as romantic novels (which were popular at the time) are shared and discussed by many people.
Even though the protagonist of many sentimental novels of the time [especially Charlotte] undergo terrible circumstances and end up dying in the end of the story, I could imagine young women of the time identifying with the sentimentalized idea of love and elopement. One of the reasons I think Charlotte Temple may have also been a “hot seller” in the early American republic was the way the author defended her strong viewpoint. In many chapters, Rowson would start by continuing the plot, but then would appeal to the mothers or sometimes the daughters who were her important readers, standing up for her story and [as an example] Charlotte’s emotional trials as important for young women to read. Rowson could convince her readers to continue studying her novel even though some of the subject matter could have been considered controversial.
I do think that these novels influenced people’s thinking. It’s like how in our society today, many movies and T.V shows sway us into different thinking than we are used to. Early America’s major form of entertainment could be considered the novel, and with a modern and divisive plot as some of these fictional sentimental novels had, it’s no wonder they resonated for young people of the time.
I believe these romance novels were such hot sellers at the time because they addressed situations that the common people often had to deal with. They were coming into a new social atmosphere and decisions like choosing your partner was something the younger generation had to start dealing with. I agree with Caitlin and that these novels were similar to our sources of media today. Media today influences the way we think the same way these novels would affect the readers back then.
Why books such as Charlotte Temple were so popular can be answered in the same way why many romantic "chick flix" movies are so popular today. Both relate to the young people of their time by telling stories of often controversial things such as premarital sex. Women often use these stories to fantasize what they wish there lives could be. I think that the woman of this time were not allowed to be nearly as open with these controversial things, so it was irresistable for them to read.
The novels were popular because they presented a romanticised version of the reader's lives. Readers saw idealized versions of themselves in the characters, and as a result got hooked. People with vivid imaginations might even have been influenced by the ideas the books conveyed, and tried to carry them over into reality.
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