The Melting Pot By Harriet Jacobs - 874 Words

American is the â€Å"melting pot† of the world and because of this; we can enjoy a bounty of American Ethnic Literature. What does this mean? American Ethnic Literature are the poems, novels, and histories written by the minority peoples of this new world. They were the outsiders of a predominately white world and therefore had an experience like no other. African American, Native Americans and Mexican Americans have a rich deep heritage that was immortalized in writing. African American Literature began as graphic slave narratives, accounting life in bondage by the slave themselves. The readers were enlightened to the cruelties of life as a slave and also the ways that slaves managed to escape. People were finally given a glimpse into the horrors of slavery and the fight of the African American people. In 1859, America saw one of the first autobiographical/fiction novels written by Harriet Jacobs. In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, folks were let into life as a indentured slave girl. Abused by the white family that owned her, she finds a way to respect herself and became self sufficient. This novel gave society of taste of things that were spoken of only behind closed doors and brought them out into the light for all to examine. According to â€Å"Digital History† (2014), â€Å"these novels draws on unique African American elements--including folklore and oral traditions--and gives expression to a distinctive â€Å"double consciousne ss,† an awareness of being both African andShow MoreRelatedCommunication and Family974 Words   |  4 Pagesconnecting humans to one another in a manner beyond compare. As demonstrated by the world’s past, written works have changed the course of history altogether. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin changed the views of slavery in the north and continues to serve as a reminder of the effects of oppression; How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis illustrates the plight of poor working-class immigrants; consequently inspiring tangible change to the Lower East Side’s schools, buildings, and sweatshops;Read MoreBoyer Dbq Teacher Guide10764 Words   |  44 Pageslife that contrasts sharply with that shown in the other documents. The family described is poor and living by subsistence, showing that the impacts of manufacturing and the market economy did not reach all regions and classes at the same time. E—Harriet Martineau’s account shows the impact of westward expansion on family life in that many young men have moved away, leaving younger women behind to marry older men. Students might observe that the risks of childbirth and the amount of work expected