Introduction
The works “Unguarded Gates” by Thomas Aldrich and “Courting a Monk” by Katherine Min are considered to be the real masterpieces of world literature embodying the themes of national priority and American position on the international level. The authors of the works managed to underline their perception and vision of American identity and race in the modern world.
Comparative Analysis
“Unguarded Gates” is a poem written by Thomas Aldrich disclosing the theme of protest. The author expresses his protest against America which becomes a kind of cesspool of Europe; this poem is considered to be the illustration of anti-immigration feelings. Aldrich’s work can be characterized by white supremacy and nationalism being symbolically represented.
O Liberty, white Goddess! Is it well
To leave the gates unguarded? (Aldrich, 72)
These lines stress the author’s demonstration of white nationalism; he presents liberty as a “white goddess” who is to guard the freedom to provided protection against beastly invaders. It is important to note that the poem’s mood shows Aldrich’s little faith in the ability of liberty to enlighten the states.
Men from the Volga and the Tartar steppes,
Featureless figures of the Hoang-Ho,
Malayan, Scythian, Teuton, Kelt, and Slav,
Flying the Old World’s poverty and scorn. (Aldrich, 72)
The author states that the poem was written under the influence of personal anger caused by his being robbed. The poem can be considered symbolic as it identifies the United States structure depicted through the iconic image of the national American Statue of Liberty. The author expresses his negative attitude to immigration in the USA in the period of the 19th century disclosed through generalization devices.
Wide-open and unguarded stand our gates,
Named of the four winds, North, South, East, and West (Aldrich, 72)
It is necessary to underline the fact that Aldrich perceived the American Statue as a kind of restriction warlike symbol and a certain guardian against invasion.
The theme of the poem is strictly aimed at a protest against immigration and providing national existence in the atmosphere of complete freedom; the author stresses that the “hand of steel” is to prevent the unwelcome entry of “featureless figures” and “wild motley throng”. Considering the author’s vision of the American racial imaginary it is necessary to underline the fact that Aldrich expresses fear of democracy end because of immigration widening comparing it to the breakage of Greek and Roman empires.
The introduction of “white goddess” is symbolically underlined not only as of the immigration aspect but as the note of racial perception of the 19th century. The author tried to depict the attitude of nonwhite Americans having slave status at the period after-war reconstruction. So, Aldrich’s poem “Unguarded Gates” appeared to be a metaphorical presentation of American identity through which the author managed to express his vision and perception of racism and immigration. (Perea, 52)
The novel “Courting a Monk” written by Katherine Min represents the non-stereotypical image of the characters striving to fight for their feelings. Katherine Min is considered to be a minority writer who tried to reflect her vision of the racism perception at the territory of USA and Korea through the destiny of the characters. It is important to stress that “Courting the Monk” refers to the diary-type confessional. The novel is written in a positive manner disclosing the author’s mood and emotionality of the characters.
He looked so rooted there, like some cheerful, exotic mushroom,
That I began to feel awkward in my exertion… (Henderson, 211)
The author managed to describe the character’s success in reaching the goal by balancing the concepts of nationalism and racism with feelings such a love and respect.
I went flying by him every minute or two, guarding man-to-man, or chasing down a pass, and out of the corner of my eye, I would see him watching and smiling. (Henderson, 211)
This novel is the embodiment of the author’s experience living in Korea and the United States through which she expresses the status of non-Americans living in the USA.
Comparative analysis of two works has shown that both authors strived to represent the theme of racism and nationalism vision in the USA. Min tried to focus attention on the inner vision of life in the USA comparing it with the experience of living in Korea; while Aldrich managed to highlight the atmosphere of negativism on the part of immigration on the territory of the USA. He strived to express his anger caused by immigration waves of non-white Americans showing the promotion of slavery and racism. (Perea, 110)
Conclusion
It is necessary to stress that both works, “Unguarded Gates” by Thomas Aldrich and “Courting a Monk” by Katherine Min, appeared to be true masterpieces of the world literature reflecting the atmosphere of the 19th century in the USA and the author’s perception of such concepts as racism, nationalism, and immigration being centralized through their symbolic representation. The Illustration of American identity appeared to be the common aspect shared by two authors of different genres.
References
Aldrich, Thomas. The Writings of Thomas Bailey Aldrich: Poems, Volume, II. BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2009.
Henderson, Bill. The Pushcart book of short stories: the best short stories from a quarter-century of the Pushcart prize. Pushcart Press, 2002.
Perea, Juan. Immigrants out!: the new nativism and the anti-immigrant impulse in the United States. NYU Press, 1996.