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Cameron Thompson and Claire Gill

Cooper and Whipple
English-7th APUSH-2nd/3rd
December 1, 2016

Motif of Rational Versus Irrational in Gothic Literature and History

At the height of an American economy and prosperity built on the backs of slaves, some

Americans began to struggle with the morals behind slavery. As reform movements began to take

foot, many came to not only see but feel the irrationality of enslaving other human beings, while

supporters of slavery argued that it was a rational good. Americans began to develop a large

rift in opinions on the morals of both sides of slavery. These conflicting ideas manifested

themselves in an unprecedented way through the birth of American Gothic literature. The roots

of American Gothic literature and the development of the motif of rational versus irrational

within it lays in a past filled with the conflicting morals in the minds of Americans with different

biases. As the abolition movement took full force against slavery, it's driving catalyst of

rationality versus irrationality was reflected in American Gothic literature in the early 19th

century, such as The Raven and The Scarlet Letter.

In Poe and Hawthornes Gothic literature pieces, The Raven and The Scarlet Letter,

the motif of rationality versus irrationality is reflected in the characters of both pieces. In The

Raven, after the raven croaked the word Nevermore to the man, he first tells himself that the

raven was caught by some unhappy master...its answer little meaning (Poe 61-62). Poe

illustrates the mans initial rational thinking through him telling himself that the raven is not

speaking from wisdom, but that it had been taught that sole word by its previous owner.

However, even with his knowledge of the irrational nature of the ravens speech, the man begins
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to ask the raven questions, anticipating the only response he will receive, yet still calling the

raven a wretch and getting angry when it does not give him the answer he desires (Poe 80). In

this way, Poe shows how the man quickly turns to irrationality by speaking to a non-reasoning

creature, exposing himself to an inevitable disappointment and insanity. Similarly in The Scarlet

Letter, Hawthorne invokes the motif of rational versus irrational through the different methods

in which two characters, Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, deal with a shared sin of

adultery. After the initial public shame of Hesters sin, she never battled with the public, but

submitted uncomplainingly to its worst usage (Hawthorne 106). In this, Hawthorne shows how

Hester has accepted that she has sinned and is guilty, and yet instead of expressing hatred

towards society for their cruelty towards her, she chooses only to show them kindness and virtue.

In human nature it is easier to love than to hate; Hawthorne elicits this rationality of human

nature in Hesters response to her sin and shame. On the opposite end, Dimmesdale, whose sin

remained secret to society, had plied (a whip) on his shoulders and fasted until his knees

trembled beneath him (Hawthorne 96). This demonstrates Dimmesdales irrational thinking that

somehow by inflicting both mental and physical pain on himself he will free his soul from sin.

Hawthorne exhibits the irrationality of Dimmesdales decision of constant introversion through

which he tortured himself, while still never purifying himself, and therefore choosing self-hatred

over the the rational love and forgiveness of human nature. Both Poe and Hawthorne convey

similar ideas on morality and the role of rationality versus irrationality; what sets the two apart is

Poes development of both aspects in a singular person and how that leads to self-torment, and

Hawthornes establishment of this motif in the minds of sinners.

During the time period in which The Raven and The Scarlet Letter were written, the

motif of rational versus irrational opinions in these pieces was influenced by the rising issue of
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the ethicality surrounding slavery in America. This time of moral trepidation in the consciences

of many Americans led to the birth of the abolition movement and the ideals on which it rested.

As the abolition movement grew, Americans were presented with the moral dilemma of either

continuing with the knowledge of the irrationality of slavery or abandoning societal norms for

the sake of the rationality that all humans are equal. People began attempting to rid their

consciences of the idea that slavery was in any way unjustified, especially as the slave population

continued to rise, in distinct ways. On one end, those who benefitted from slavery, such as

slaveholders and slave sellers, chose to justify the whipping, shackling, hanging, beating,

burning, and dehumanizing of slaves by calling it a positive good. These people, usually

southerners, who found economic prosperity through the degradation and dehumanization of

slaves attempted to justify their irrational actions by continuously disguising slavery with

fallacious logic rather than facing the senselessness of it. However on the opposite end of the

spectrum of humanity, many Americans, especially those in the north where slavery was not as

prominent, began to argue against the institution of slavery. These abolitionists argued that

slavery was both a moral and social evil through the rationality that all human beings are equal,

as stated in the Declaration of Independence. These emerging ideas of moral rationalism began to

push many Americans toward a new idea of equality for all mankind and away from the ideas

that they had once believed were necessary for society to prosper. Consequently, this sense of

irrationality over the subjugation of other human beings aroused a moral obligation for many

Americans to stand up and end slavery, which resulted in the Civil War.

In the same way, irrationality and rationality were manifested in both history and Gothic

literature in the early 19th century, our artifact ties the literary piece, The Raven, to the

historical development of slavery. We represented the history portion in our piece by painting a
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clenched fist with chains breakingthe fist representing the desire of slaves to be freed and the

breaking chains showing how slaves eventually gained freedom. The beginning of the chain is

intended to represent slavery as a whole and the irrationality within the minds of the people who

desired its institution and the dehumanization of those slaves; while the end of the chain is

broken in order to show the rationality of the abolitionists who spoke out for the freedom and

equality of slaves. Towards the top of our artifact, as the chains break, you will see the broken

chain turn into ravens flying away. These ravens symbolize the revealed irrationality in the mans

mind, in The Raven, when he begins to question the bird, a non-reasoning creature, all the

while having the rationality to know that there will only be one response. The artifact is tying

both the opposing views of slavery and The Raven to the Gothic Romantic motif of rational

versus irrational.

Just as the issue of slavery introduced the idea of moral obligations, the development of

American Gothic literature reflected these same conflicting ideas of rationality versus

irrationality. This recurring motif has been continuously conveyed in opposing moral conflicts

throughout not only the 19th century, but all of history. Almost all issues that are argued about in

the United States government today are rooted in debates over moral rationality versus

irrationality. The national issue of abortion is constantly being debated based on what is

perceived as rational or irrational, however, with new opinions and ideas always emerging, the

line between rationality and irrationality is constantly changing.

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Columbus, OH, Glance/McGraw-Hill, 2000.

Poe, Edgar Allan. The Raven. AP English, Nadine Cooper, Austin High School, Nov. 2016. Class
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Handout.