"American Notes"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, by the time Charles Dickens decided to travel to the newly established United States, he was an established author and therefore when he published American Notes after his trip in 1842, Americans were angered not only because of his critical portrayal of their country but because someone so recognized worldwide was writing such negative comments about them. It also contends that despite its drawbacks, it is useful to read "American Notes a century and a-half later to see how the America of today compares to the America in 1840. Unfortunately, in some respects, the same problems that Dickens saw as undemocratic or "UnAmerican" still exist today, such as racism, blind patriotism, and overblown egos in government and business.

From the Paper:

"Overall, of great concern to Dickens is the way this new country was established and what it would become. He had come to America expecting perfection, and sees a country still attempting to work out its identity. He is afraid for its future and what it would become. Selfishness, crassness, and hoggishness, he suggests, are America's real institutions, what governs business, politics, and all of human relationships. He is angry about the Americans' bad manners because they are inconsistent with the democratic principle, which should guarantee equal rights for all. On the other hand, he criticizes those individuals who have blind patriotism for their country and give no thought to any other views. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Crew, Louie. Charles Dickens as a Critic of the United States. Midwest Quarterly 16.1 (1974: 42-50.
• Dickens, Charles. American Notes. 24 February, 2008 http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/675
• Moss, Sidney. Charles Dickens' Quarrel with America. Troy, NY: Whitson, 1984.
• Rupert, Everett H. The Life of Charles Dickens, and Favorite Stories. Books, Inc.: New York, 1936.

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