Resources about
Eccentricity in Early American Literature
1. “Eccentric.” __Pearson Education__. 7 June 2007 < http://www.infoplease.com/ipd/A0420450.html >.
The purpose of this website is to provide “all the knowledge you need.” The website defines eccentricity as “deviating from the recognized or customary character.” Related words include “irregular” and “erratic.” An eccentric is defined as “a person who has an unusual, peculiar, or odd personality, set of beliefs, or behavior pattern.” I feel like this is a perfect way to describe the radical Transcendental Thinker Margaret Fuller. Fuller went against the recognized character. Her idea that the soul is sexless was definitely an unusual belief during her time, and may even be considered so today. These definitions provided an accurate and fun way to describe Margaret Fuller.
This website is sponsored by Pearson Education.
2. "Eccentricity." The Free Dictionary. 9 June 2007 < http://www.thefreedictionary.com/eccentricity >.
The page is for informational purposes, listing and defining, as well as providing a thesaurus, for countless words from a typical dictionary, a computing, medical, financial, and legal dictionary. It also provides online encyclopedias and much more.
The website's dictionary/thesaurus defines eccentricity as "deviation from the normal, expected, or established." Eccentricity is "the quality of being eccentric," or plainly, being odd. This definition fits well into the story of "The Lamplighter" by Maria S. Cummins, lighting the personality of the heroine, Gerty. She is an oddity in the eyes of those who first gaze upon her. Eccentrictiy is also "the quality" of being odd, and Gerty possesses a quality from her oddness. Eccentricity also is an important aspect of Romanticism highlighting the creativity during the period. -Dolmii Remeliik
3. "nonfictional prose." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 June 2007 <http://search.eb.com/eb/article-51164>.
The main purpose of this website is to help readers define terms related to an area of study. For the purpose of this literature class, I found the term eccentricity to relate to the nonfictional prose of narrative writing in literature. In the encyclopedia Britannica online, many writers create “novels and shifted to impromptu sketches or desultory essays” and they “blend dreams and facts, ventures into the illogical, and delightful eccentricities”. This resource was helpful in clarifying my inquiry of the theme of the author’s text as based on the literary elements. I trust the Britannica online because they support and contribute their resources to academics.
4. "WordNet Search." Princeton.Edu. Princeton U. 16 June 2007 <http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=eccentricity>.
The main purpose of the website is to offer definition of different literary terms. Thomas Paine’s writing focused on the American Revolution. The website defines eccentricity as a strange and unconventional behavior. This is exactly what Thomas Paine was doing at the time. This resource is helpful in reading and interpreting the theme because it defines the theme. The website is credible because it is apart of a reputable site, Princeton University.
5. Eby, Douglas. “Eccentricity and Creativity.” 19 June 2007. < http://talentdevelop.com/articles/Page2.html >.
Author Douglas Eby lists about 10 different people, all famous for their talents, and all famous for being eccentric. That is, for “having a behavior that lies somewhere outside the norm.” Instead of merely describing eccentricity, however, he couples it with creativity, making the two symbiotic. He grants eccentrics quite a high statute, stating that they are “essential for the health of the social organism, for they provide the variety of ideas and behavior that permits the group to adapt successfully to changing conditions. All intellectual evolution depends on new ideas; they are the essence of science, of exciting new art, indeed of all intellectual progress." I more or less knew what it meant to be eccentric, but it was refreshing to find an article that wasn’t just a dictionary definition of eccentricity. Instead, this article showed the relevance of eccentricity in literature, film, and in society in general.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.