HUE UNIVERSITY

HUE UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

AMERICAN LITERATURE 1
MID-TERM TEST

Student name : Nguyễn Hoành Anh Tuấn

Student ID : 21F7511054
Group : 2

HUE 2024

Write an essay of no more than 1000 words to discuss the following content:

“Literature is the history of the soul.”-Barry Hannah

What do the works you have studied in the course American Literature 1 tell you about
the American soul?

Ever before, the "American soul" has been an indispensable theme in all literary works
of America, helping us to understand to some extent the character, values, lifestyle, and
beliefs of Americans. Two literary works that I believe provide valuable aspects of the
"American soul" are O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi" and Nathaniel Hawthorne's
novel "The Scarlet Letter." Though written in different eras and exploring different themes,
these classic works of American literature have a common exploration of individualism,
morality, and the social fabric. In this essay, through the careful analysis of these works, I will
find out the deep-seated “American soul” that has shaped American values over generations.

What is the American soul? According to Jon Meacham’s best-selling book, “The Soul
of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels”. It is “The dominant feature of that soul — the
air we breathe, or, to shift the metaphor, the controlling vision — is a belief in the proposition,
as Jefferson put in the Declaration, that all men are created equal.” In my perspective, the idea
of the “American soul” can also refer to spiritual and moral qualities of American in general
or the inner character of a person that contains their true thoughts and feelings. Consequently,
through understanding American literary works, we can gain a clearer insight into the
characteristics of Americans and American society.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter", the reader can find many aspects of the
"American soul". First of all, "The Scarlet Letter" is the idea of individualism, one of the core
values of the American soul. Protagonist Hester Prynne, accused of adultery and forced to
bear the letter A, which is a mark of sin, resolutely asserts herself amid social pressures.
Instead of accepting the condemnation, she stubbornly refused to bow and showed her "free
spirit", a symbol of courage and will to overcome adversity. This image is Americans' belief
in individual self-determination, even in the face of powerful social forces. Besides, this work
also describes the tension between the individual and the community, a key theme in
"American Soul". Hester is punished for her personal actions but is determined to keep the
man who committed the same crime a secret. It is also the conflict between the desire to
express herself and the constraints of strict Puritanism. Another symbol of the “American
soul” is the way the author describes Dimmesdales. He is a sickly young minister who is
considered a model of morality, but feels bound by the strict standards of Puritanism. He did
not dare admit his guilt, but instead tried to maintain a revered image in the eyes of the
community. Although he did not dare admit his guilt, Dimsdale still tried to find atonement
through forms of asceticism and penance. This represents the American belief that individuals
have the ability to find their own value through their own efforts. Roger Chillingworth,
Hester’s husband, as a doctor, he seek wisdom and understanding, but use his knowledge to
serve selfish and cruel purposes. After discovering that Hester had been having an affair,
Chillingworth determined to take revenge by any means, not even hesitating to use cunning
and cruel tricks. He represents cruelty and revenge, traits that often accused in American
culture. The last character that reflects the “American soul” is Hester’s daughter, Pearl. How
Hester and Dimmesdales see Pearl is kind of similar, to Hester’s aspect, Pearl is her
embodiment of a living scarlet letter in the flesh. To Dimmesdales, Pearl is the evidence to
prove him guilty. Although she is a "child of sin", she becomes a source of hope and spiritual
salvation for Hester and Dimsdale. By combining these figures, we can see diversely the
portrait of the "American soul" in this work. These characters show us key issues about
American characters. These characters not only express the tension between individualism
and the demands of community, but also reflect internal conflicts, the desire for redemption,
as well as the dark sides of human nature.

Another work that portrays different viewpoints of the “American soul” is O. Henry's
“The Gift of the Magi”. Through the two main characters, Della and Jim, even though they
have little wealth, they are still willing to give up their most precious things to buy gifts for
the other person. Della is a character who represents the spirit of sacrifice for love. Even
though she had very little money, Della still decided to sell her precious hair, the only
possession she had, to buy a gift for her husband. Della is willing to sacrifice herself for her
husband's happiness, a quality valued in the "American soul." Similarly, we can see Jim’s
sacrifice and determination to make his wife happy. He agrees to sell the precious watch, an
item associated with the family heritage, to buy a gift for Della. Jim is willing to give up his
most precious things to bring joy to the person his beloved. Additionally, both Della and Jim
are very independent and self-reliant - another important element of the "American soul."
Instead of waiting for help from outside, they make their own efforts and sacrifices to make
the people they love happy. It is the American desire for self-determination and the ability to
pick ourselves up, even when facing obstacles. It is also essential in American culture, to
express belief in the strength and will of the Americans.

Taken as a whole, by tracing the depiction of the "American soul" through the two
literary works, I have demonstrated how the "American soul" has shaped American values.
While the first story highlights the stranded thread of guilt, shame, and social judgment, the
second story explores sacrifice, love, and compassion. Far from the American characters we
often see, in these two literary works we can also see American values including good and
bad things.

REFERENCES
1. What is the Soul of America? (Spring 2021, Volume 66, Issue 3)
(americanheritage.com)
2. The Scarlet Letter Chapter 2 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts
3. The Scarlet Letter Characters: Description and Analysis (thoughtco.com)
4. The Gift of the Magi Summary & Analysis | LitCharts
5. A Summary and Analysis of O. Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi’ – Interesting
Literature