A Traveler from Altruria Essay - 1313 Words

A Traveler From Altruria Many people believe America to be the land of the free and the home of the brave; a place where we all have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The novel, A Traveler from Altruria ¸ written by author William Dean Howells, presents many of the ideals present in the culture of the late nineteenth century. The author uses the characters such as the lawyer, the minister, the professor, the banker and the novelist in the story to illustrate what is wrong the American society. The traveler from Altruria, Mr. Homos, comes to America to experience the everyday life in a country that promotes and prides itself on democracy and equality and has the foundation that all men are created equal. He is†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately this supports the idea that Americans truly only look out for themselves because those who do give back are few and far between. The professor has a major role in helping the Altrurian understand how American society functions. During this time period, education and business are kept separate, but the professor believes that one day they will eventually unite. The professor views businessmen as egotistical, self-centered individuals who abandon their morals in order to do what is necessary to benefit themselves. Education is seen as the opposite, a place for gentlemen. As a result, if someone wanted to be a good businessman he should not get an education because education would make him more moral and therefore less of a businessman. The banker believes education to be completely unnecessary because of the class system. The lower classes believe education to be unimportant because parents would prefer for their children to be at home working instead of going to school. The upper classes view education as unnecessary because they are likely to become businessmen and any education would simply give them a handicap. The professor himself agrees that his position is unnecessary. Without edu cation there is no way to teach others. There is no way to better our knowledge and understanding of the world around us.