Lydia Maria Francis Child

Lydia Maria Francis Child

About the Author

Lydia Maria Francis Child was born in the year 1802 and died seventy-eight years later in 1880. She was an influential activist in ancient America. She was concerned with advocating for the human rights of the Native Americans and also women. She was among the forefronts who opposed the American expansionism. Maria was also a professional journalist and novel writer. She had attained a considerable audience for her journals during the period between the years 1820 and 1850. Her journals included both fiction and domestic manuals. Her work on literature was outstanding has she had the guts to address matters concerning male dominance and the aspects of white supremacy in the ancient American community.

Main Issues associated with the Topic

The history of American literature has undergone many transitions and changes. There have been many writers that have contributed to the growth and development of research in America. One such contributor is Lydia Maria Child. Ancient American literature was very instrumental when it came to addressing the various challenges and problems that were common in the community during those times. The writing was used to solve the issues of racism, as it was evident between white Americans and African-Americans. The aspect of white supremacy and male dominance was another big issue that was addressed by the Topic of American literature. Maria was actively involved in such matters. Poetry was also used to conduct campaigns for human rights, especially those of women and African-Americans.

Introduction and Explanation of the Research Question

The research question for this paper seeks to identify the role of the above-described author in the understanding of the History of American literature. As an American author, Maria had a significant contribution to the history of writing in ancient America. There is so much that we can learn from her work. A critical study of Maria’s literature work presents a vivid description of the nature of life during the 18^th century in America. We also learn of the environment that was present where there were no defined rights for women and the African-American community. We even can understand the issues of white-supremacy from the work of the author. As a human rights activist, Maria shows has the role of literature in the fight against the above-listed problems that existed in America during her time. She used her literature work to attack the issues of male dominance and white-supremacy to fight for the opposition and role of the marginalized in America.

The Importance of the Question

This question is very instrumental for any regular individual or scholar who wants to learn about the history of literature in America. The question seeks to present the usefulness of a particular author of literature work who was very influential during that time. It serves best when you learn about something by having a study of the characters that were involved in the development or establishment of that something.

Answers for the Question from Critics

Critics believe that Maria was top-ranked among all other writers during her time. It is commendable how she made use of her skills to fight and preach for truth, justice, and equity in American society. Critics have identified that the work of Maria can be used to establish the environment of ancient America during her time. It is also vital when it comes to helping interested scholars to learn and understand the history of American history during the 18^th century. From my research, I find that my answer to the research question is quite similar to the solution provided by critics. The author to be quite significant in helping the new community to have a picture of how literature was used to clean the society of evils and bad morals.

Maria’s Child influenced the American history of literature significantly. Her work of writing was one of a kind. More so, the American history of literature is rich in events that were contributed by different writers. From the work of Maria Child, we understand that women played a tiny part in the development of literature in America. Maria appears to be the only woman who made it have lived by engaging in writing. From the study of Maria and her work, it is evident that literature was being used as a tool for fighting against problems and challenges that faced the ancient society of America. Maria wrote many articles that addressed the issues of injustices to women, the vices such as oppression by the white community due to the belief in white supremacy. Maria Child helps us to understand that ancient history was a powerful tool that was used by different writers to reach for truth and justice in the old American community.

Slave trade was a practice that was much spread in the United States during the 18^th century. Most of the slaves were obtained from Africa and others from the Middle East, particularly India and China. With time, the slaves intermarried, and the result was an increased population of the ‘foreigners’ in the country. Most of the Native Americans treated this class of people with so much cruelty. This became an issue of concern for Maria because of her stand as a human rights activist. She, therefore, decided to use the available resources to fight injustices that were directed towards African-Americans. The only available support for Maria was her profe3ssion. She, thus, used writing as a tool to express her activism for human rights. “An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans (1833)”, is an example of literary work from Maria Child. Maria uses the article to attack the issues of slavery that was being practiced in America during her time. Literature was used to fight for equality in the aspects of education and employment on African-Americans and women. Such a book was one of its kind. There was no other article that was used to address those issues in the whole of America. American history of literature shows that writers used writing to express their views and criticism to the various evils that occurred both in the government and among the members of the community. This part of the history of American literature is attributed to Maria Child. She was the first writer ever in the past to use writing as a weapon to fight injustices and also a tool to campaign for human rights in America.

According to history, literature was used for educational purposes. Writers were engaged in educational activities that saw them make the use of poems to teach people about morals, new concepts, and many more aspects of life. Maria also had a role in this part of the literature. Maria prepared a unique piece of writing in the form of a poem. Maria designed a particular poem for children to teach them about thanksgiving. No one can talk about the history of American literature without mentioning Maria Child. According to the report by North American Review, the contribution of different writers in the history of American literature, the reports claim that there is no other woman writer in the history of literature, who can outdo the influence and output of Marie Child. Through her work, we are able to understand that research was used to express emotions, especially love. Romantic articles were used to teach people matters concerning love.

Whenever people talk about the history of American literature, it cannot happen without a mention of Maria Child. Maria Child had a unique contribution to American history. Between the years 1826 and 1834, she used literature to establish a unique series of articles that were released as magazines for American children. The series was referred to as Juvenile Miscellany. This was a novel application of literature that was not used by any other writer in history.

Maria’s Child’s impact on the history of the literature of America was outstanding. Most of her work is still remembered until now. She stood out to be among the top abolitionists in the 18^th and part of the 19^th century. Through her work of literature, Maria was among the forefront to fight for freedom for the entire humanity. On realizing her significant role, William Garrison Lloyd described Maria Child as the first woman in America. During her profession, Maria Child authored over fifty-seven books, tracts, and several thousands of letters, all of which were meant to address the issue of injustice that dominated the republic at the time. One of her most significant achievements in the history of American literature was creativity and innovation to establish the first magazine for children in the history of America.

Maria Child took unique moves and approaches towards her work of literature. She was very outstanding in whatever role she played through the work of her writing. Her unique style and approach to issues concerning society through literature provide a unique taste to the history of American literary history. Maria Child was broke the record in American history to become the first author of the white Americans origin who wrote against the issue of slavery and oppression of the African-American community in America. This was one of her breakthrough events in her work as an activist for human rights. There had been no other white writer who had ever taken the move to advocate for the human writes of the African community living in America at the time. This escalated the popularity of Maria Child all over the republic of America. She engaged her profession, skills, and passion of literature to spell out impunity in American society morals and political ethics. She authored many articles and letters with the theme of justice and equal human rights to all. More so, her ability to write articles for different target groups ensured that her message was read by a more significant number of people in the republic of America. In fact, the first book to be written by Maria Child addressed slavery in specific.

Maria Child was very active in shaping the outlook of the history of American literature. The short stories tackled many subjects that were very critical to the growth of the society of the Republic of America. Such themes were comprised of issues that were very controversial in the community at the time. They included problems like interracial marriages and even science-fiction. She also did crucial literature work that tackled domestic matters. Such articles were used to advise married couples and parents, articles with cooking recipes, particular growth for the children, and even historical treaties. There is no corner of human life that Maria Child did not influence either directly or indirectly through the use of literature.

Maria Child was the initiator and creator of the literary genre for children. She argued that literature was part of a child’s development process as it helped in the process of language development and acquisition of social skills. There is no single household in her time that did not recognize Maria Child. It was a household name that was common among both adults and children. Before becoming an abolitionist, Maria’s Child had already gotten to be a vigilant campaigner against prejudice and slavery. She chose to eradicate the vices by educating the children. Her specialized magazines for children made sure that any child who accessed the magazines grew up with little or no element of racism or prejudice against the African-American populations. Unlike other rival writers, Maria Child became the most outstanding female writer. She developed a fearless approach to issues that she believed compromised human dignity in society. Her husband had developed a firm stand against slavery in America. He provided the necessary support and motivation to Maria Child, making her to even push harder for what she believed in.

After some time, the focus of Maria Child shifted from children’s and household literature material to advocating for the rights of the Native Americans and also fighting against slavery and slave trade. Karcher says that there was no other writer who got research for African culture history more Maria Child did. Her book “An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called African” was a powerful tool for campaigning that influenced many people to join the abolitionist movement.

Maria Child is a proof or a demonstration of the situation and role of women in ancient society. Despite a contribution to the shaping of American History, Maria Child still remained to be unrecognized in American history. Her all was recognized, but she hardly ha the honor to receive credit for her work. This happened to all women in the republic of America at the time. However, her messages spread through her practice of literature. Her argument established its ground in the 1980s and 1990s. The society came to appreciate and recognize Maria’s noble contribution to the history of American literature. At sometimes, Maria gets to be very sarcastic to the community. In one of her literature articles, she says if she was a man, she could have been a great lecturer because people could listen to her. Maria Child was a woman, and no one took her work seriously. Maria had to sit in the corner of her house and do the knitting that is meant for women. She uses sarcasm to show how many women have submitted to men and agreed that they belonged lower in the community as compared to women.