Megan's Discussion Questions
For this week please read Charlotte Temple and remember to bring the novel to class!! I would like you to think about the impact of this book on early American culture, particularly young readers. Why was this book and other sentimental novels so popular? Do these novels have more than entertainment value? How are these sources revealing for historians?
posted by Megan Boccardi at 12:15 PM
39 Comments:
In times of early American culture, the values and morals of Americans were the most important aspects in governing their personal lives. Sentimental novels written during this time period focused on cases where these values and morals were disregarded by young women and men in the practices of courtship. These books became popular because of two reasons. The first reason was that Americans loved to read about scandals and misdoings because they were so widely disapproved. The second and probably more important reason they were popular was that they helped show young readers how to govern themselves. The ironic conclusions to the stories warned young readers of the outcomes of things like eloping, cheating, and adultery.
This book would most likely have an impact on the youth in early American culture. It led these young readers to think more carefully about irrational decisions (which youths are likely to make) and the consequences of such. These sentimental novels spiked in popularity because they had a highly dramatic entertainment value, but they were realistic as well. Though far fetched at times, it wasn't so unrealistic as to be fantasy. It could be applicable to tales of misfortune when persons made unwise choices with their lives and strayed from morality. This fact that these sentimental novels applied real life concepts to a dramatic plot sparked readers interest to what at the time was modern and somber scenarios. These novels revealed aspects of culture, the darkside of society at the time to historians today.
The novel Charlotte Temple impacted early American culture significantly. Considering the times, the book was very blasphemous according to the standards of settlers. With the focal points being about issues not dealt with in the colonies, the romaticized novel was exciting and the actions taken prohibited to the readers in real life gave the novel something unnusual to the readers, which made the novel that much more sought after. Overall, the impact was that the book challeneged their ideals and morals, giving readers lessons on which to live by.
I think that Charlotte Temple was so popular because readers at the time could easily relate to the characters of the book. The characters face many situations that can happen and do happen to many people. For example having someone you love go to war. Many men were set over seas to watch over the colonists leaving their significant others behind which is a difficult thing to do. The book also mentioned characters going against their parents will and marrying or running off with someone that they were not supposed to which was probably looked down on at the time. Along with entertainment value they also in a way teach lessons about how love can lead you to trouble.
-corey mueller
Charlotte Temple and the other sentimental novels were such a big impact on their era because the people of those times could easily relate to the struggles of the characters while still being entertained by the not-so-relatable outcomes. Although the stories might be risqué for youths of the time, they still taught a lesson afterwards. This was the real draw of the books, that although most people would never live through what was happening in the stories, somewhere in America there was something like the story happening and that is what kept the public interested. This is how historians know that there was a less known side of the new Americas that was not so happy, fresh and patriotic.
While possibly a stretch, a reason that I feel early Americans might have been drawn to this type of novel has to do with the reason they are in America in the first place. Each of every one of the early Americans either decided to make along journey to America or are the close offsrping to those that have. The people that do this sort of thing are not the typical apathetic feeling conservative minded people. They can all relate to a novel with action and emotion, especially in a day to day life that could most probably be monotonous.
Back when this book was written women still did not make their own decisions, and things were not done for “love”. Women did what men decided was best for them. When Montraville entices Charlotte to come with him, she says that she doesn’t want to and believes she should stay with her family. But he claims he loves her more than anything else, and when she faints, he takes her on the boat with her maid, and he then ends up not marrying her, saying it was a mistake and marries someone else for supposedly love, but the other girl has money. So marriages were still arranged and done for financial reasons. These sentimental novels were so popular because things weren’t done for love, or feelings, but because they worked out financially. This idea of marrying for love was a new idea during this time. These novels show how ideas were changing and society was moving away from this odd structured, patriarchal society. It show enlightenment thinking and the progress of women. These sources are revealing for historians because it show that the progression of women was a popular idea and was not rejected. A lot of people read these books and it let the idea flow into society changing the way society is structured dramatically.
Novels such as Charlotte Temple and Lucy Temple were very popular during that time period, due to its realistic appeal. It presented many problems that young adults had with courtship, elopement, and adultery. It showed young readers the consequences of their actions, and opened their eyes to the proper ways of courtship. This novel and other novels of its kind presented realistic problems of society’s youth at the time, and allowed them to better connect and relate with the novel. Society, in a sense, felt at ease knowing that many other people were also experiencing the same problems as well.
-Moira Evens
The sentimental novel Charlotte Temple I would imagine had some impact on early American Culture and particularly young readers. The story told in the book is easily relatable to many things that were capable of happening, and did sometimes happen in these young American’s lives. These kinds of books were so popular because of the entertaining nature of the story line and the fact they were very realistic situations. Even though these novels were very entertaining they do serve a higher purpose. They taught lessons that were valuable to the common person in daily life.
Matthew Vlach
The book Charlotte Temple had a very large impact on early American culture, in particular young readers. The books were so popular because they were targeted towards the younger reader and they were exciting. They were exciting because it was normally an adventure. They also found interest in them because they could easily relate to subject matter at hand which was generally courtship so every young person had an interest in the subject.These stories happened all the time around them so it was very easy to relate. Yes they have a bigger purpose then just entertainment. The purpose was to teach young people lessons in life and how they should handle themselves and situations they run into. These are sources for historians because it shows them how people were supposed to and expected to act back then. It also shows historians how they went about teaching people how to act and if it was effective or not.
During the period that this book was written, the values and morals of the people were similar but at the same time still different from those presented in these books. The young people reading them were getting exposed to new ideas that were appealing to them. From these books the younger generations were being brought up differently than their parents and creating their own (different) set of values. The ideas in the book were appealing because they made so much sense to this younger generation. They related to topics covered in the books easily as to form opinions paralleling the ideas involved. I think these books helped reveal history in the sense that it helped explain the ideas that American’s started to live their lives by.
I think this book had a tremendous impact on early American culture and especially the young readers. I feel like young ladies were often intrigued by the idea of the “Great American Future” but often ended with failed dreams. This book was popular because it opened the eyes of the young and tried to make them realize the possibilities of moving to America. This book has more than entertainment value because it touched the lives of the readers. As I was reading the book, I felt sorrow and remorse for the innocent Charlotte. I feel like if the characters in the book move you in a certain way it has more than an entertainment value. These sources reveal the hardships and outcries from all the women, children and men who were moved to an unknown world and left with nothing.
Books like the Charlotte Temple book were revolutionary in the era that they were written in. Very different from the usual books, they caught the attention of readers with fresh ideas and put thoughts of revolution into the minds, how the world could be changed to better it. The book outlines the movements that would follow in the future. The views expressed in the book were influential to the younger class and showed them how to state what was important to them and make their own way in the world.
Michael Gremaud
Charlotte Temple and Lucy Temple were very popular novels during that time period, due to their truthful appeal. It brought about many problems that adults had with elopement, courtship, and infidelity. These novels displayed what the consequences were for making wrongful actions, and ended up teaching the young adults the correct ways of courtship. These novels connected with young adults and displayed the real problems of societies youth back then. Society didn’t bother; due to them feeling that many people were having the same problems.
Charlotte Temple was very popular during the late 18th and early 19th century due to the rise in the print industry. Before novels such as Charlotte Temple and The Power of Sympathy were published, the most common publication was the newspaper. These novels appealed to mainly the younger americans and women. Due to the rise in literacy, both men and women were learning to appriciate these novels more. The controversy in both novels sparked the interest of many readers. The changes after the Revolution such as the ways of life and family values were also changing. A combination of these things were what made these new exciting, controversial novels so popular among the teenage population.
Books like Charlotte Temple and other sentimental novels were very popular in early American culture because they were very realistic. Books like Charlotte Temple told stories about love, and losing loved ones, and going against parent's morals and values. These topics appealed mostly to young readers because they seemed to be able to relate to it more. They were taught the correct ways of courtship, and learned that there are consequences to wrong doings. The situations in the novel were realistic and taught readers how to live their lives better.
-Joey Huynh-
"Charlotte Temple and Lucy Temple" was very important and popular to young readers in early American culture because it appealed to their interest. Young readers are more interested in love then anything else at this stage in love then anything else in this stage of their life and that is exactly what this novel and novels like it provided for them. It talked about issues that were real to them at the time and gave them a sense of relief that they were not facing these topics and issues alone. These novels are more then just entertainment, they are more of a reality check to young people showing them that their are consequences to their actions
The people of colonial America is similar to the people of modern America. The only things that differ in media is the format in which material is communicated. Today many people are interested in politics like in the past. People are also intested in reality television shows and drama. Books in that time were their reality televison show. It was someone to tell a story about the time that they lived so that they could related. Some had messages and some were just for entertainment, but regardless they had a purpose and the stories had to build off of some factual basis. That basis being the the things that happened specifically in that time.
Cherice Jones
The reason Charlotte Temple was so popular in American culture was because it offered entertainment as well as useful situations for the readers. Readers enjoyed reading about problems that were similar to their own. This particular novel, and ones like it, are more than just imaginary readings, they pertained to everyday life and scenarios Americans faced at that time. Historians consider theses novels to be not just fictional books, but also a window into how life and culture really functioned in the early years of America.
~Griffin
Charlotte Temple was an important book because of the morals and lessons it delivered through its interesting and adventurous story lines, in which the characters make dramatic decisions about love and are faced with the consequences of their actions. The book appeals to the young people of the era because of how close they can relate to the characters. The book is important to America because for the first time books were getting in to important and interesting moral subject matter. The book influenced the culture in America from then on, being one of the sentimental novels that entertains yet provides valuable social lessons.
Ryan Donegan
This book made such an impact because it shows a realistic girls journey through life. It also deals with meny problems girls at the time were facing such as marriage, love, abandonment. This story is sort of a "guied" to why maybe moving to america was not the best thing in life. It was not so much a dream shattering reality as it was just showing the reality so that people were aware that life in america isnt just high class glamor. That there are hardships and struggles. I think this book was so popular because it was so relateable and most mothers and fathers thought it would have a good impact on their daughters and hopefully keep them home instead of them leaving for america. The entertainment value is in the adventure, or journey of the young girl. Also the fact that it is an easy read gives it more value because it is more widely readable.
Novels such as Charlotte Temple like said before had an impact on its young readers, teaching them about consequences for their wrongful actions, as well as other lessons of values and morals that tied in greatly with daily life. The readers of these novels found them so entertaining with their dramatic real life events, knowing that something has happened like this somewhere. These novels were looked at like what would happen to them if they were in the characters shoes.
This book probably became popular at the time of the colonists for many reason. First this was all about rebellion and doing what you feel is right at the time. This is a very popular theme in our nation's past and resignates powerfully to any American at this time. For example, in the book they have someone secretly getting married and running off with their lover. This would have not been looked upon very well. However, this rebellious behavior would have appealed to teenagers in colonial times. The entertainment value of this book is simple, its a book that has crazy events happening all the time. It keeps you intrigued because you have to wonder what you would do in these scenarios. This also teaches historian what colonial people did to teach lessons to their kids. The reading of a book could teach kids very valuable lesson, which is another reason why I believe these book became so popular. They could relate with almost everyone and teach them lessons
Charlotte Temple was very popular among early Americans. It offered a charachter for women and girls to relate to in that time period. The women could connect to the themes of love, loss, and marriage which are common aspects of the human experience. Some of the rebellious actions included in this novel that may have appealed to the young women of this time, allowed the girls to live out their fantasies through Charlotte Temple's story. I believe that the entertainment value of these books was very high because I can see how many can relate to sentimental novels. I also think that these novels allow historians to see deeper into the lives of the young women of this time which allows them to better analyze their lifestyle.
Do these novels have more than entertainment value?
These novels not only served for entertainment, they also changed the western culture as a whole. Before sentimental writings came in to the picture, men were not supposed to show emotions like laughing out loud or crying. After some of these writings came out however, showing emotions became the cool thing to do. However, not all emotions were popular. Men were not supposed to be scared or angered.
Charlotte Temple and other sentimental novels of the time were very popular in America because they idealized women, but more importantly the individual. In the novel we see how people are moving away from doing things for political reasons, or to honor their duties as a son or daughter. Instead, their actions fulfill their own personal happiness. For instance Mr. Temple decides to marry Lucy Eldridge, whom he loves, instead of the wealthy Miss Weatherby, who could have provided him with financial stability. On that same note, our heroine, Charlotte, continues to see Montraville because she is very fond of him, even though she knows this would upset her parents. She is fulfilling her own happiness even though it goes against what a dutiful and grateful daughter would do. The young readers of America would see these actions as a new standard. They are beginning to set a new precedent where you don’t have to answer to anyone but yourself and what makes you happy or content. This is why so many of them rebel against all authority, in schools, in the home. Just as America has freed herself from the tyrant Britain so will the youth of America rebel against the patriarch of the house and lead their own lives.
Sentimental novels such as Charlotte Temple were such hot sellers in the Early American Republic because they showed a new way of life. These novels put in writing the ways that social life in America was changing. One of the main things one will notice while reading Charlotte Temple is that women have more power. They can marry who they want (Mademoiselle and Charlotte), some were no longer afraid to break rules (Mademoiselle), women could be seen as the leader of a household (Mademoiselle), and an education was offered to some girls , such as Charlotte Temple. However, you can see that the Early American Republic is a transition stage. For example, Charlotte still relies heavily on Montraville emotionally and financially. She completely breaks down when he leaves her, which is not something an independent woman would do. Nevertheless, I believe that novels such as this are responsible for influencing people's thinking. I'm sure such a book opened the eyes of readers, especially women, making them realize there potential.
-Julie Marino
I believe books like Charlotte Temple opened the eyes of young readers to a new era of books. This book was based on love and women actually following what they believed in. I believe that this book appealed so much to young readers because it started a revolution among books. This book went against what men and women believed in because this women went out and did what she wanted by not being "protected" I think that appealed to young readers in giving them hope for women, or maybe even a way for young women to live their dreams through Charlotte. -Lori Page-
The novel, Charlotte Temple, had a great impact on young readers, in the early American culture. During this era, many young readers were experiencing new events in their lives, such as courtship. They started to realize that courtship should be more than what their parents thought was best fit. They wanted to be with their mate, because they loved, not because it was financially suitable. This novel explains how Montraville wanted to marry Charlotte, because he loved her. However, Charlotte knew that it was best to stay with her family. This shows that courting or marrying someone for love began to develop in this time era. Novels, such as Charlotte Temple, were popular, because the young readers could relate their lives to the lives of the characters in these novels.
Ok firstly we need to get on the same page for these readings, both times now you have asked us to discuss the books that i am not reading at the time. Last time we talked about Penn and I read Calloway, this time it is the Temple girls and I am reading Clotel man i am picking the wrong books! LOL! Anyway now for Rowsons book Charlotte and Lucy Temple. How could these books not be so popular back in there day?! They finally offer an appealing view about the lives of women that no one had ever written or talked about inprevious times. There is finally a view that doesn't tell women to be seen but not herd, it shows them the potential that women have and should be allowed to use it. Even though wome at this time still relied heavily on the men in there lives to support them and provide for them (such as Charlotte with Montraville) they began to branch out and accomplish things on their own. These women were now finally free to choose who they married and were not forced into planned marriages. They in some cases could get an education such was the case for Charlotte and they could be seen as leaders of households and demanded more respect and in turn recieved it. But probably the main reason that this book and others like it were so successful was due to the entertainment that it offered. The stories portrayed in this book make people hope that it can happen to them. Such as the eloping to get married running away with your lover that is something that I am sure almost all women and think of and maybe een some men. This is just a good story in a time period when a nation was struggling and many people could relate to it.
The novel of Charlotte Temple impacted the youth and other readers in early America. Because there wasn't a lot to do, many people would read these for entertainment, and to stay entertained. Morality plays a large role in the book, and many life lessons are advised. Early settlers could easily associate themselves with a character in the book, also making it more enjoyable and advising.
I think Novels like this were so popular in that time period, because this was a time when people began to understand feelings on a more complex level. They enjoyed the dramatic situtation the novels persented, because they were so different from their normal lives. It was a way for the poeple to get away from the dullness of every day life. Like how today we tv and video games, back then they had books or novels.
I think this particular adn many other books of this time adn throughout history have been very halpful to historians. They can look at these stories and see how people were living or at least what they were writing about adn how they wanted to live. This book brought up a lot of new ideas like more education and marrying for love and this gives historians a new perspective. Books always give insight into history becasue they show what life was like for someone at that time from their point of view.
This book and other sentimental novels were very popular back then for a couple reasons. One was that the book talked about issues back then that were very taboo and that were kept behind closed doors such as eloping and adultery so this book was especially popular among teens because this was probably one of the only ways they could have found out about things like that. Also, in some cases, teenagers could relate to the situations in the books.
These novels had more value than just entertainment because they taught a lesson to people, showing mistakes that the characters made in hope that people would learn from the characters mistakes and not repeat them.
Charlotte Temple and other sentimental novels had a huge impact and were very popular in the early american culture. Young readers could relate the the books very well when dealing with their own feelings and love. They came to find that being able to fulfill their happiness was by being with someone who they actually felt for rather than marrying someone for status, money and arrangement. In charlotte temple we saw that people were starting to marry for love like mr. temple did with lucy even though his father refused and they were left with little money. These books were so popular because they added drama to their lives and read situations that occured that used to go against how they used to live and what they believed in. I think these novels do have more than just an entertainment value, they show how people can be unhappy when they just go along with society rather than actually fulfilling their own happiness. It also showed how women were stepping up and actually starting to speak up for their own rights to try to be equal with men rather than be seen below them. Emily Wagner
This novel had a big impact on early American culture, including young readers. It opened their eyes as to popular subjects among the younger readers such as adultery, elopement, and betrayal. These were common things among the younger people, who were reading these novels, and they began to see the true outcome of these wrong doings. Sentimental novels were so popular because it took the readers to an imaginary place. They were caught up in the story an not worrying about what was happening in their own life, which made the sentimental novels such a hit.
Christine Sturms
The book Charlotte Temple and many other sentimental novels during this time were very popular and influential in the culture of their time. Not only were they good books, but it caused many changes in the common society. For the first time, it really allowed readers to experience new emotions. These novels put the reader in someone else’s shoes. It made people feel for others more then they ever had before. They felt each other’s pain and happiness even though these characters were fictional. However, one of the biggest positive changes brought by these books was the positive revaluation of women’s moral nature and especially their social value in society. Young women were no longer viewed as much as naturally evil. Many people bought into these characters and felt what they were feeling because they could see themselves in these characters. Often times many of the readers had had many of the similar problems these fictional characters faced in the novels. I also believe the books served as more than entertainment. Not only did women’s role in society change slightly, but a new outlook of sensationalism spread throughout the country. People felt more ok to show emotion than they ever had before.
I think this novel had a big impact on its readers especially younger readers. They felt like they could relate to the story lines. It dealt with many issues like love, and making mistakes and showing consequences to decisions. These scenarios could be seen as actually happening and weren't too much of fantasy. This was helpful because the reader could learn lessons from the stories. That gave the book more than just an entertainment value because younger readers could relate and think about different situations.
Brandon Wiest
In early America, it was considered to be wrong for men to show any kind of emotion. However, after the “sentimental movement” is was considered to be very “fashionable” for men to laugh, smile and even cry in intense emotional situations - to be “overcome” with emotion and have to let it out.
One of the books involved in this movement was “Charlotte Temple” by Susanna Rowson. This book was so popular at the time of the sentimental movement because it put the readers into the shoes as well as the minds of the characters in the book. It allowed the readers to experience the emotions that the characters were feeling and took them out of their “humdrum” lives and put them into lives of scandal, lust and love. This also provides much more of an entertainment value to the book and makes it more interesting and certainly more appealing to the audience.
Books like “Charlotte Temple” are good sources for revealing key facts in the history of American culture. Historians can look at the events that take place in the novels and imagine the beliefs and the way of life of people in the times that the books were written and published. For example, the belief that women were “naturally evil” began to diminish into slightly more respect and the fact that they were more morally oriented was introduce, something that would not have happened earlier in the history American culture
-Kristin Robben :)
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