American History Through Literature

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how both John Dickinson's "The Liberty Song" and Nathaniel Hawthorne's "My Kinsman, Major Molineux" reflect the conflict in America with Great Britain, just in different time periods. It looks at how "The Liberty Song" is a poem written by Dickinson after the Townshend Acts were enforced and allows us to see the attitude of many Americans towards Great Britain. The paper also discusses how Hawthorne's "My Kinsman, Major Molineux" was written before the American Revolution and how, through this work of literature, we can gain the insight to many of the ideas and behaviors of Americans during this time. The paper notes that "The Liberty Song" is forward in the demonstration of beliefs of Americans, while "My Kinsmen, Major Molineux" is a symbolic portrayal of the relationship between America and Great Britain.

From the Paper:

""The Liberty Song" expresses the attitudes of Americans after the Townshend Acts. Great Britain had just successfully defended the American Colonies in the French and Indian War. Great Britain had shed its blood and spent a multitude of money protecting the colonies. In return, Great Britain could foresee no problem with taxing the American Colonies to help gain back some of the financial stability the country had lost. However, the colonies were taxed on common products being imported such as lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea. The "taxation without representation" caused riots and boycotts and led to many disputes between Great Britain and the American Colonies. "

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