Annotated Bibliography:
Hawthorne, Nathanial. From Mosses from an Old Manse excerpt ``Earth`s Holocaust``. 1844.
Project Gutenberg EBook. Ed. Widger, David. Released Nov 5th, 2005.
<http://archive.org/stream/earthsholocaustf09231gut/haw5810.txt>
The central theme that this novel focuses on is perfection. Since man-kind believes they
have achieved this perfection, they begin to have a mass bonfire where they burn all former
knowledge. Yet, it takes a stranger to point out that humans can never be perfect. This issue
highlights humanities need to achieve perfection and how hard it is to obtain.
Hawthorne’s authority is this novel comes from his Puritan background. He comes from
the Romantic Movement and his knowledge of sin relates to this novel. Perfection is difficult to
obtain in religion and also life. His religion also focuses deeply on the sinning and damnation of
people. This was mostly his influence is writing this novel.
The context in which this material is being present is as a novel and in fiction format. It is
from a section in his collection of stories that were compiled into one novel. This one story in
particular had the intention on focusing on man-kind obsession with perfection. The intended
audience was probably for the highly educated or religious who were in the upper classes.
I am considering this material for my essay because of its reliability of how we criticise
in the Western world and how we ourselves still try and reach this level of perfection.
Hazlitt, Henry. Time Will Run Back. Revised ed. Arling House, Inc., New York: 1966. Pg 1-
368.< http://mises.org/books/time.pdf>
This novel is essential to my working thesis because of the way it presents capitalism as
the only eventual option. The year is 2100 and the Soviet Union has spread its influence across
the world and all past economic and political writings have been destroyed. How the novel`s
theme of the importance and celebration of capitalism develops is the reason why I need it.
Unlike the other novels Hazlitt shows how capitalism triumphs over totalitarianism.
Hazlitt`s view of capitalism and how he felt about it would probably come from his
background as a journalist. He wrote about economics and politics. He was also old enough to
have knowledge of Cold War, and the rise in the fear of communism. His book was originally
published in 1951, under the name The Great Idea. He was a believer in the greatness of
capitalism.
This material is presented as a novel in fiction format. Hazlitt`s intended audience was
mostly likely for the colleagues he worked with in the industry, but to also educate the masses
about the triumph of capitalism. This was especially necessary because of the fear that was
instilled during the Cold War.
I am considering this material because it is the one novel that celebrates capitalism and
contrasts it with totalitarian world. It engages the focus I intend to take because it is a positive
view. Even themes in the novel are present today, Hazlitt does not criticise capitalism. It will be
useful to contrast the views of this novel with the others.
Orwell, George. 1984. 1949. Planet Ebooks. <http://www.planetebook.com/ebooks/1984.pdf>
The theme of this book is centred on the control over everything by Big Brother. It
focuses on how this control is so great that all media is modified so any rebellion is made to be
impossible. Winston Smith ends up giving up Julia in the end and nothing changes because of
it. It displays the cycle of control. It is also is a major critic on modern society and media in
which we watch today.
George Orwell`s original name was Eric Blair. He was highly educated. These ideas of
control and restrictions probably came from the school system. He also wrote this book around
the time of Cold War and communism fear. His book is telling of the technology he thought
would be available to have mass control over people.
The material is presented in the context of a fiction novel. The intended audience was
probably for everyone, as many people have gained access too, and read this novel. It probably
was not intended just for the upper class as Orwell despised the educational system.
I am considering this material firstly, because of its huge influence over the population of
people. It still continues to be relevant to today’s society through the fear of the mass control
over the media. It will be useful in its complete critic of capitalism and how the government has
gained control over what the media produces to its audience. It is especially interesting because
of its relevancy. Especially since there has been a lot of paranoia about the government being
able to access our private lives though technology.
Ayn, Rand. Anthem. 1938. Champaign, Ill. Project Gutenberg, n.d. eBook Collection. EBSCO
host.<http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/ehost/ebookviewer/ebookviewe
r/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzEwODU0NDJfX0FO0?sid=b9267da2-8f28-40b9-a1f4-81edeb4ad7
c@sessionmgr115&vid=1&format=EB&rid=1>
The theme that is prevalent in this novel is slightly similar to 1984. It is during a dark age
in time that is not explicit. There is no individuality and the ego has been eliminated. The world
in this novel is irrational and has socialist economic thinking. Technology is also carefully
planned. This novel also connects to the other theme about hidden history and has a new one
created.
Ayn Rand was born in Russia and then came to the U.S in 1926. Being from Russia she
was subjected to communism. Also being a female would change her perspective on how she
wrote her novel. Rand`s intentions seem to be based on rationality, as the world she created is
very irrational. She also rejected religion and faith and was very interested in romantic realism.
The material in context is a fictional novel. The intended audience was most likely for the
masses. Since many people were not as educated, it may have been read by a selective few. I do
think it was intended for anyone specific.
I am considering this material for my essay because of the irrationality of the novel. In
the novel Equality is curious of his past history and wants to find out more about it. This novel
will be useful for a comparison to the others through its similarities and themes. I find the
elimination of the ego and individuality interesting, as it is still relatable today. Also like the
other novels, history has to be destroyed, but is brought back by an individual.
Upton, Sinclair. The Jungle. 1906. Champaign, Ill. Project Gutenberg Ebook.
<http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook /bmxlYm
tfXzEwODU1MzNfX0FO0?sid=26a813ae-a71b-4396-9b324f2b304e16e@sessionmgr
113&vid=1&format=EB&rid=1>
The themes in this book portrays the lives of immigrants in the city of Chicago. It shows
the struggles of a being in the lower class and how hard it is to stay afloat in the economy. It is
full of despair and hopelessness about trying to keep a family on one salary; also the lack of
social services in the U.S at the time that would have been able to help them. The greed and
corruption of the people in power still resonates.
Upton Sinclair`s authority in this novel comes from his experience in the meat packing
industry, in which he went undercover. This is how he is able to expose the poor working
conditions and the unsanitary practises in the meat packing industry. He may have based the life
of Jurgis, his main character, on the workers he met while undercover.
The context in which the material is being presented is through a fictional novel. The
intended audience is for a mass amount of people and is to expose the conditions in the meat
industry. Also too highlight the issues of poverty and the struggle of being an immigrant.
I am considering this material because of how modern it is. Instead of being placed in the
future, it is more about the exposure of poverty in the early 20th century. This novel engages with
my focus because it is still truthful for many people in North America today. It shows the issues
of being stuck in a cycle of poverty which is hard to come out from. It is definitely a criticism of
capitalism and how it can easily leave people behind. The U.S. is still working on these issues of
social services today.