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Quote by Rebecca Harding Davis

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Rebecca Harding Davis: Writing Cultural Autobiography

The volume offers a scholarly analysis of Rebecca Harding Davis's literary career, focusing on how her autobiographical writings and fiction engage with broader cultural narratives of the nineteenth century. It situates Davis as a significant figure in American literature, particularly for her early realist depictions of industrial life and her contributions to women's writing. The study interprets her works as forms of cultural autobiography, meaning they not only recount personal experiences but also document and critique the societal norms, class structures, and gender roles of her era. By examining key texts, the book highlights Davis's role in shaping American literary realism and her efforts to give voice to marginalized perspectives, including those of working-class individuals and women. The analysis draws on historical and literary contexts to demonstrate how Davis's writing serves as a record of cultural change and personal identity formation. more

Author

Rebecca Harding Davis
Rebecca Harding Davis

Rebecca Harding Davis was a prominent American author of the 19th century, known for her insightful social criticism and focus on the status of women. Her works often focused on social injustice and poverty, with notable titles including 'Life in the Iron Mills'. more

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“the New Englander landed on a stony, barren tract, and a large share of his strength during two centuries has gone to force a living out of it. Hence he has come to regard economy - a necessary unpleasant quality at best - as the chief of virtues. He has cultivated habits which verge on closeness in dealing with food, and with the expression of feeling, and even - his enemies think - with feeling itself.”

“it is a mistake to talk of the twilight of age, or the blurred sight of old people. The long day grows clearer at its close, and the petty fogs of prejudice which rose between us and our fellows in youth melt away as the sun goes down. At last we see God's creatures as they are.”

“...Help me let go of my need to stay immersed in negativity. I can change the energy in myself and my environment from nega­tive to positive. I will affirm the good until it sinks in and feels real. I will also strive to find one quality that I like about someone else who's important to me, and I will take the risk of telling him or her that.”