Facing the Other: Ethical Disruption and the American Mind (Horizons in Theory and American Culture)

ôBolton is admirably focused, centering broader ventures around precise turning points in the documents and incidents she has selected. . . . The book crosses generic boundaries . . . in the spirit of an other who transcends any single history or discipline.öùReligion and LiteratureLinda Bolton uses six extraordinarily resonant moments in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American history to highlight the ethical challenge that the treatment of Native and African persons presented to the new republicAÆs ideal of freedom. Most daringly, she examines the efficacy of the Declaration of Independence as a revolutionary text and explores the provocative question ôWhat happens when freedom eclipses justice, when freedom breeds injustice?ö Guided by the intellectual influence of philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, Bolton asserts that the traditional subject-centeredùor ôIöùconcept of freedom is dependent on the transcendent presence of the ôOther,ö and thus freedom becomes a privilege subordinate to justice. There can be no authentic freedom as long as others, whether Native American or African, are reduced from full human beings to concepts and thus properties of control or power. An eloquent and thoughtful rereading of the U.S. touchstones of democracy, this book argues forcefully for an ethical understanding of American literary history.ôFacing the Other is not a cultural history; its focus is the relevance of an ethical analytic to all of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American literature. . . . Using Emmanuel Levinas to guide her discussions, Bolton argues that the way in which Americans valorize freedom as an ideal leads us to ignore our responsibilities for doing justice.öùAmerican Literature Linda Bolton uses six extraordinarily resonant moments in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American history to highlight the ethical challenge that the treatment of Native and African persons presented to the new republics ideal of freedom. Most daringly, she examines the efficacy of the Declaration of Independence as a revolutionary text and explores the provocative question "What happens when freedom eclipses justice, when freedom breeds injustice?" Guided by the intellectual influence of philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, Bolton asserts that the traditional subject-centeredor "I"concept of freedom is dependent on the transcendent presence of the "Other," and thus freedom becomes a privilege subordinate to justice. There can be no authentic freedom as long as others, whether Native or African, are reduced from full human beings to concepts and thus properties of control and power. Bolton begins with J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeurs Letters from an American Farmer, Thomas Paines incendiary political treatises, and Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of Independence in tracing the celebrations of the a priori right to freedom at Americas founding. She then explores three critiques of the ideal of freedom insofar as it allows the persecution of Frederick Douglasss oratories, Native American Sarah Winnemuccas stage performances as an Indian princess, and radical abolitionist John Browns violent raid on Harpers Ferry. Bolton shows that it is the "face of the other" that interrupts the American discourse on freedom to reveal freedoms limits and its obligation to justice. An eloquent and thoughtful re-reading of the U.S. touchstones of democracy, this book argues forcefully for an ethical understanding of American literary history. à ́Bolton is admirably focused, centering broader ventures around precise turning points in the documents and incidents she has selected. . . . The book crosses generic boundaries . . . in the spirit of an other who transcends any single history or discipline.öÃ1Religion and LiteratureLinda Bolton uses six extraordinarily resonant moments in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American history to highlight the ethical challenge that the treatment of Native and African persons presented to the new republicAÆs ideal of freedom. Most daringly, she examines the efficacy of the Declaration of Independence as a revolutionary text and explores the provocative question à ́What happens when freedom eclipses justice, when freedom breeds injustice?ö Guided by the intellectual influence of philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, Bolton asserts that the traditional subject-centeredÃ1or à ́IöÃ1concept of freedom is dependent on the transcendent presence of the à ́Other,ö and thus freedom becomes a privilege subordinate to justice. There can be no authentic freedom as long as others, whether Native American or African, are reduced from full human beings to concepts and thus properties of control or power. An eloquent and thoughtful rereading of the U.S. touchstones of democracy, this book argues forcefully for an ethical understanding of American literary history.à ́Facing the Other is not a cultural history; its focus is the relevance of an ethical analytic to all of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American literature. . . . Using Emmanuel Levinas to guide her discussions, Bolton argues that the way in which Americans valorize freedom as an ideal leads us to ignore our responsibilities for doing justice.öÃ1American Literature 'Bolton is admirably focused, centering broader ventures around precise turning points in the documents and incidents she has selected.... The book crosses generic boundaries... in the spirit of an other who transcends any single history or discipline.'-- Religion and LiteratureLinda Bolton uses six extraordinarily resonant moments in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American history to highlight the ethical challenge that the treatment of Native and African persons presented to the new republic's ideal of freedom. Most daringly, she examines the efficacy of the Declaration of Independence as a revolutionary text and explores the provocative question'What happens when freedom eclipses justice, when freedom breeds injustice?'Guided by the intellectual influence of philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, Bolton asserts that the traditional subject-centered -- or'I'-- concept of freedom is dependent on the transcendent presence of the'Other,'and thus freedom becomes a privilege subordinate to justice. There can be no authentic freedom as long as others, whether Native American or African, are reduced from full human beings to concepts and thus properties of control or power. An eloquent and thoughtful rereading of the U.S. touchstones of democracy, this book argues forcefully for an ethical understanding of American literary history.'Facing the Other is not a cultural history; its focus is the relevance of an ethical analytic to all of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American literature.... Using Emmanuel Levinas to guide her discussions, Bolton argues that the way in which Americans valorize freedom as an ideal leads us to ignore our responsibilities for doing justice.'-- American Literature CONTENTS......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 10 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 12 INTRODUCTION: Towards Confronting the “Hatred by the Other Human”......Page 16 1 FACING ALTERITY: The Ethics of Conversion in Crèvecoeur’s Letters from an American Farmer......Page 32 2 IN THE NAME OF “JUSTICE AND HUMANITY”: Thomas Paine’s Ethical Envisionings of the American Republic......Page 69 3 STANDING IN THE “FIELD OF FREEDOM”: Thomas Jefferson and the Reverberations of that Declaratory Promise......Page 109 4 FUGITIVE POSEURS: The Native Eloquence of Frederick Douglass and Sarah Winnemucca......Page 139 5 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN CRIMINAL: John Brown’s Triumphant Failure at Harpers Ferry......Page 187 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 214 C......Page 220 H......Page 221 O......Page 222 V......Page 223 Y......Page 224 Towards Confronting The Hatred By The Other Human -- Facing Alterity : The Ethics Of Conversion In Crèvecoeur's Letters From An American Farmer -- In The Name Of Justice And Humanity : Thomas Paine's Ethical Envisionings Of The American Republic -- Standing In The Field Of Freedom : Thomas Jefferson And The Reverberations Of That Declaratory Promise -- Fugitive Poseurs : The Native Eloquence Of Frederick Douglass And Sarah Winnemucca -- In The Presence Of The Great American Criminal : John Brown's Triumphant Failure At Harpers Ferry. Linda Bolton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 199-204) And Index. Bolton is admirably focused, centering broader ventures around precise turning points in the documents and incidents she has selected. ... The book crosses generic boundaries ... in the spirit of an other who transcends any single history or discipline. Religion and LiteratureLinda Bolton uses six extraordinarily resonant moments in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American history to highlight the ethical challenge that the treatment of Native and African persons presented to the new republicÆs ideal of freedom. Most daringly, she examines the efficacy of the Declaration of Independenc Towards confronting "the hatred by the other human" Facing alterity : the ethics of conversion in Crevecoeur's Letters from an American farmer In the name of "justice and humanity" : Thomas Paine's ethical envisionings of the American Republic Standing in the "field of freedom" : Thomas Jefferson and the reverberations of that declaratory promise Fugitive poseurs : the native eloquence of Frederick Douglass and Sarah Winnemucca In the presence of the great American criminal : John Brown's triumphant failure at Harpers Ferry.