Analysis: How Has Society Changed Since 1840

Has society improved since 1840? It is hard to say overall, but focusing on specific parts of our culture then, compared to our society today, we can determine how our cultures compare. Have we changed our views on Violence since then? How has our language evolved in the last 177 years? Have we improved on racism since this time? These are all questions we have to answer. Overall it is hard to tell if anything has gotten better or worse, instead, these things have more “evolved” and changed since 1840.
Violence in America hasn’t exactly improved from 1840 to 2017. People will take violent actions against the people they don’t like if they are motivated to do so. Take for instance how Mark Twain described a gun fight in 1840; “All the sudden,

Specifically, the use of the “n-word”. Back in 1840, this word wasn’t often used in a derogatory way, it was just a way to refer to slaves. “When we was passing by the kitchen I fell over a root and made a noise. We crouched down and I laid still. Miss Watson’s big [n-word], named Jim, was setting in the kitchen door;” (Twain pg 94). In this passage, Mark Twain used the word to address Jim as a slave, not to insult him or put him down. Twain’s writing contrasts to an excerpt from a discussion on how the word is used today. “Steve Crump: ‘What did you call me?’ Brian Eybers: ‘What?’ Steve: ‘What did you just call me?’ Brian: ‘I called you sir.’ Steve: ‘No you didn’t you called me the n-word right?’ Brian: ‘I believe I did call you the n-word.’ Brian (earlier): “You’re a [Expletive] idiot. You’re ignorant. So you really are a [n-word] then.’” (Steve Crump & Brian Eybers). This second excerpt shows Brian using the word as a derogatory slur to “bring down” Steve Crump That’s the difference between these excerpts; Mark Twain uses the word as a generic name, Brian Eybers uses the word to insult Steve Crump. This shows the progression of the word from a reference, to an insult of the word from Civil War Era to present day. People used this word in the past to refer to slaves, but over time it became a word used to demean black

How has racism changed in America? This is a very broad question and can be answered from many different perspectives. In 1840, there were some very important cultural ways of life and ideas that no longer exist today. The largest of which is the presence of slavery. Have our views on slavery changed since the 1840’s? Take this quote from Huckleberry Finn for example. “‘Miss Watson, your runaway n- Jim is down here two mile below Pikesville, and Mr. Phelps has got him and he will give him up for the reward if you send.’ - Huck Finn. I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life, and I knowed I could pray now.” (Twain pg. 213) In this passage, Huck Finn felt guilty because he stole Jim from Miss Watson because he saw Jim as nothing more than a slave. This shows the mindset of people back in 1840. They don’t even consider black people as people. In present days, even a word that was used to refer to slaves is taboo.
“Randall Kennedy: ‘I was in a bookstore talking about my book ‘N—–.’ And a man said to me: Professor, I have heard all that you have to say and, you know, your — all of your analysis about why it is that sometimes n—– should be tolerated. I have heard it, but I’m going tell you something. When I hear the word n—–, I remember when that word was used by people who wouldn’t allow me to vote and who put me at the back of the bus. And when I hear that word, that’s what I think