1. The Frontier in American Literature: An introduction
Monday, 19 November 2018
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

2. Resources are boundless
Frontier
A line of separation and confrontation, moving steadily West across the American continent
In essence a line to separate the white settlers from the Native Americans.
By 19th Century a line dividing civilisation and urbanisation from wilderness.
By 1890s Turner proposes the Frontier Thesis – the search to reach the ever expanding frontier brings about American Democracy.
In 20th Century some will see America’s overseas claims as further frontier seeking.
FRONTIER
Space to develop
opportunity
Resources are boundless
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

3. Reasons to seek the frontier
1: Defficiency Motivation: A lack of resources or success in the East drives the pioneer onwards to the West
2: Abundancy Motivation: Driven by greed and by a thirst for adventure.
3: Manifest Destiny: The need to spread God’s teaching across the new world and to explore this new Eden.
In all cases the Frontier required one to sever links with the past and established the tradition of the loner: self sufficient, hospitable to strangers and capable of facing huge odds.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

4. Types of Frontiersman USERS SUBDUERS Trappers
Woodsmen
Prospectors
Missionaries
Herdsmen
Boatmen
All using the wilderness for own ends but leaving it unchanged.
Farmers, subsistence and larger
Lawmen
Churches
Businessmen
Lawyers
All involved in taming the wilderness
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

5. Ideas to explore in Huckleberry Finn
Frontier refers both to the place and the attitude of mind ripe for ‘improvement’
Pioneers travel West to seek a better life than that offered in the East
Pioneers travel West to seek adventure
Leaving behind the ‘old’ leads to the development of a new mindset and morality
No room for fear – success is judged in the ability to overcome adversity
Development of the land/mind is only achieved by subduing it – no place for co-existence
A male world - women fulfil very stereotypical roles.
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

6. Behaviours to recognise
Rarely will a character belong to one column or the other in isolation…
Cattlemen/Ranchers Homesteaders/Farmers
Lawless Lawful
Use Land to produce Re-Use land to produce
Money as a driver Wish to develop the country
Resist civilisation Embrace and Improve civilisation
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

7. Consider these art works
Consider these art works. What might they tell us about the perception of the Frontier?
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

8. Durand, In the Woods
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

9. Durand: Kindred Spirits
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

10. Inness: The Rainbow
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

11. Inness: The Clouded Sun
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

12. Bingham: Fur Traders
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

13. An American Indian. Photograph: Curtis
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018

14. Moran:
An Indian Paradise
Jonathan Peel JLS 2018