ipl-logo

Capital And Speculation In The Gilded Age Essay

1171 Words5 Pages

“It was the age of confidence. Arrogance was epidemic.” (Laskin, The Children’s Blizzard.) In William Dean Howells’ elaborate novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham, we follow Silas Lapham, a newly rich business man who accumulated his wealth in America during the Gilded Age. Throughout the story, Lapham experiences a rise-fall-rise as the founder of a paint business coming from a humble background. He was seen as a “fine type of the successful American,” (Howells 3) who was able to work his way up in society through his skill of being able to recognize opportunity and his ambition to reach his goals. But since the protagonist was not raised in a wealthy environment, he is also willing to lie, cheat and steal in order to fit in with the upper class. …show more content…

It gave people misplaced confidence, some say an expansive economy required, “unlimited reliance upon human promises'' (Lears 345). Which were later proved to be false. Most of the population was divided between the rich and poor, Lears explains, “The decades after the civil war saw the emgergence of a freewheeling entrepreneurial society where capital was unregulated by government and government was manipulated by business men to serve their own needs.” (Lears 343) William Howells demonstrates Lear's ideas through Silas Lapham's cockyness. "I've got all I can do to take care of myself without trying to take care of the whole world" (Howells 45). This quote shows how Silas did not care about the rest of society because he was too focused on his own victories. Lapham often ignored his wife's needs and had a dismissive attitude towards her. "He had often silenced her with the imperiousness of his will and the apparent force of his reason" (Howells …show more content…

In her article, “From Howells and the popular story Paradigm: Reading Ailas Lapham’s Proairetic Code” The “Alger Hero” speaks for the American dream, the belief that anyone can be successful in America no matter your background, culture, or upbringing. “The Alger hero represents a triumphant combination- and reduction to the lowest common denominator- of the most widely accepted concepts in nineteenth century American Society. The belief that the potential greatness of the common man, the glorification of individual effort and accomplishment, the equation of the pursuit of money with the pursuit of happiness and of business success with spiritual grace” (Murphy 430). Silas Lapham shares some similarities and differences with the “Alger Hero.” Like the Alger hero, Lapham shows dedication, ambition, and courage to achieve his dreams."He wanted to be rich, and he wanted to be somebody" (Howells 87). Although Lapham can symbolize the “Alger Hero” they are also different in several ways. "I suppose there are folks that might think I hadn't dealt quite fair with you about that quarry, but I guess you won't be one of them, Mr. Sewell" (Howells 181). Silas admits to a business partner that whilst working together, he has been dishonest and others may agree, but he does not expect Mr. Swell to feel this way and still continues to defend

Show More
Related
891 Words | 4 Pages

Eugene Lyons wrote about the realities of the idealistic notions of rags-to-riches. His life was riddled with hardship as he was growing up as an immigrant on the East Side of New York. In his essay, “Revolt against Ugliness,” Lyons spoke of how deep emotion feelings were invoked in people when they heard the stories of folks pulling themselves up by the bootstraps. He pointed out that the stories of success are not written by those who never get a leg up, but rather the “true or near true stories” are authored by the few and far between who make it out of poverty and hardship. The grim truth he spoke of was that even the youth had to work in order to help their family earn money for the bare necessities of food, shelter and clothing.

Read More
571 Words | 3 Pages

He “struggled to stake out the social and emotional ground between the thoughtless rich and the vicious poor” (19).

Read More
909 Words | 4 Pages

Chris McCandless was born into an “upper-middle-class” life courtesy of the hard work of his father. Although he often rebuked wealth, he was given opportunities only possible through his family’s small wealth such as his education and his knack for business. However, it was this exposure to money that allowed McCandless to form his own opinions and the unnecessary value placed on social status leading to his life in the wild. He left the confines of his structured life to live out in nature as an escape from the world he was born into. No matter his opinion on the wealth his family earned, ultimately McCandless’s life could not help but be shaped by it.

Read More
148 Words | 1 Pages

The 1870s, 1880s, and the 1890s were apart of the Gilded Age because it was a time of major technological innovation and a rise in foreign trade for the U.S. It was also a time when businesses expanded not only in each area of the manufacturing process but in the number of buildings as well. One key economic feature of the Gilded Age was railroad tracks because they played an important role in the transportation of manufactured goods and allowed those products to reach places they have never been before. An important social aspect of the Gilded Age was the corruption and lack of government control of large companies because many politicians supported them, making them essentially untouchable. The definition of “gilded” means that a layer of

Read More
564 Words | 3 Pages

The short story, “The Rich Brother” accounts the journey of two brothers with great different personalities. After Donald, the younger naive religious brother, is kicked out of a communal farm, Pete, the older wealthier brother, goes to pick him up. Pete feels that Donald is too carefree, and that he always has to help him out of his mistakes. The tensions between these siblings are evident--they both feel that they need to prove themselves to each other; they need to provide evidence of their “prosperity” (Wolff 324). Pete more than Donald tends to always try to impress others, such as buying expressive items.

Read More
850 Words | 4 Pages

Chapter 18 Business and Politics in the Gilded Age Questions Notes What was his motivation to get extremely rich? • The railways soon fell on difficult times. As of now by the 1870s, absence of arranging prompted overbuilding. The country over, railways contended furiously for business.

Read More
1396 Words | 6 Pages

Success: the immediate and overwhelming drive of work ethic in America. Created by the Protestant Ethic, the American Dream has been a part of American citizen’s lifestyle since its beginning. The definition of the American Dream is said to have been originally defined by James Truslow Adams, in his book The Epic of America, which was written in 1931. Adam’s definition of the definition can be summarized where “life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone”, that opportunity should be allowed for all, no matter their circumstance, and that everyone should be able to reach “the fullest stature of which they are innately capable” (214-215). Although the definition is clearly stated, the world is littered with people striving to find the keys to success to allow for equal footing.

Read More
1833 Words | 8 Pages

1.0 Introduction Self-evidently the economic development is extremely important to a county. Whether it is to ensure the integrity of the national sovereignty, territorial integrity, military construction or improvement of the national standard of living, all these policies are not able to achieve without economy. As an example The united states, between year 1860 to 1990 also called “Gilded Age” during this period United States had rapidly increased in economy. The millions of immigrants came to the United States from Europe at the meanwhile with rapid development of heavy industry including railways, factories, mining. The output value in the manufacturing during this period increasing sharply from 19 billion dollars to 11.4 billion us dollars; the railway mileage of the 30,000 miles to 250,000 miles; coal production from 10 million tons to 212 million tons; the steel production increased to 1,100 tons from production

Read More
511 Words | 3 Pages

Thesis/Argument - The United States has reentered a Gilded Age. During this time period, the livelihood of many individuals was left in the hands of the rich. Technological innovations replaced many jobs and left people seeking for employment. Similarly, to the Gilded age, the technological innovations are both a blessing and curse in today’s day and age.

Read More
670 Words | 3 Pages

Herbert Spencer claimed that in America, everyone had the chance to prove themselves, and those who belonged with the rich would become rich. Michael Crabtree’s interview challenges Herbert Spencer’s Survival of the fittest by showing the hypocrisy of his ideology

Read More
433 Words | 2 Pages

(167)This display the lack of respect that Sam has for William, and what little of an impact his words have on Sam. In the big picture William Jones has almost no control over what happens in his life. Although, he is good at his job, he has no way of moving up the economic ladder due to his lack of education. Additionally, William has no recognition at home and his family doesn't take into consideration.

Read More
2519 Words | 11 Pages

It is important to note that his mimicry is not just in behavior but also in the identity associated with the higher class. Silas does not just want to act like them; he wants to be them. Once Silas has been seated at the table, symbolizing his willing participation in the game orchestrated by the Coreys to expose him as the common man he is, he feels that the only way he can possibly keep up with the members of high society around him is to "keep a sharp lookout" and do "only what the others did" (190). He notices that Bellingham tucks a napkin into his collar, and so Lapham "put his napkin into his collar too" (190), mimicking the articulation of Bellingham’s habits. However, with Silas now plagued with self-doubt and insecurity about his own articulation, he takes out the napkin "slyly" (190) because nobody else is doing it.

Read More
324 Words | 2 Pages

The Bourbon Democrats bolstered a free market approach, with low levies, low charges, less spending and, as a rule, a Laissez-Faire (hands-off) government. They contended that levies made most products more costly for the shopper and financed the trusts (syndications). They additionally reproved dominion and abroad extension. By difference Republicans demanded that national success relied on upon industry that paid high wages, and cautioned that bringing down the duty would be a fiasco since merchandise made by low-wage European assembly line laborers would surge American markets. The political history of the Gilded Age is normally lessened to a story of debasement and outrage.

Read More
747 Words | 3 Pages

They think people like him are of lower class and do not have as many social skills. In addition the “Old rich” class believes they are more refined and elegant while the “New rich” money class overcompensates with purchasing large houses, and spending exorbitant amounts of money. There is also the class that has little money such as the

Read More
844 Words | 4 Pages

“The concept of the "self-made man," who starts with nothing, works hard, and achieves great wealth, seems innocuous enough. However, the idea becomes destructive when it evolves into an idolization of wealth and power…. Desperate to achieve success, Walter ignores his mother's moral objection to achieving his goals by running a liquor store.

Read More

More about Capital And Speculation In The Gilded Age Essay

Related Topics

Open Document