The essay describes the hard life Susan Shelby Magoffin had to face when accomanying her new husband down the Santa Fe trail in 1846. The journey changes her. The high spirited young wife soon notices that neither her marriage nor her travels are the way she expected them to be. The paper reveals how Magoffin's diary mirrors the transformation of her personality. When Susan Shelby Magoffin left ‘civilization’ in June 1846, she was animated to accompany her newly-wed husband to Santa Fe and even further South. Yet, her journey and her marriage are not what she expected them to be. Her diary gives an insight into the great expectations she first had and leaves the reader with the impression of a hopelessly sick, sad or even depressed women by the end of her diary. Down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico shows a female who is trying to get used to the New World. She is one of many English- speaking woman who “from the early decades of the seventeenth century onward, […] struggled to find some alternate set of images through which to make their own unique accommodation to the strange and sometimes forbidding landscape” (Kolodny 3). Whether or not she managed her new life will be depicted in this paper. Are there any discrepancies between her early entries and the ones that are recorded later? Beginning her diary with the words: “My journal tells a story tonight different from what it has ever done before “(Magoffin1), shows how energetic she is by the idea to record her travels in her diary. She is an educated young woman and has already red about travelling West, since she at one time feels like The Oregon Pioneers (Magoffin 23) or compares her journey with the ones Greg has recorded. Further, her first diary entry shows that she sees herself as if she were in a theatre play. “The curtain raises now with a new scene. […] Act 2nd, literally and truly. From the city of New York to the Plains of Mexico, is a stride that I myself can scarcely realize” (Magoffin1).
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- From the Fantasy of the West to Daily Experience?
- Early Entries: Frontier Luxury
- Problems in the Wilderness: The Sounds of the Frontier
- Illness and Pregnancy: Complications of Diseases
- A Religious Transformation: The Ruling Hand of Mighty Providence
- Indian Customs: A World of Differences
- A Complicated Marriage: The Ups and Downs of the World
- Disappointment and Loss: A Desperate Young Wife
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper explores the diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin, examining her journey down the Santa Fe Trail and into Mexico in the context of 19th century American literature and the West. It aims to analyze the discrepancies between Magoffin's initial expectations for her journey and marriage and the realities she encountered. The paper seeks to understand how Magoffin's experiences shaped her perspective on the West and her role as a frontier woman.
- The Idealization and Reality of the Frontier
- The Role of Women on the Frontier
- The Impact of Marriage and Family on Frontier Experiences
- The Evolution of Magoffin's Perceptions of the West
- The Use of Diary Writing as a Tool for Self-Reflection and Social Commentary
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- From the Fantasy of the West to Daily Experience?: This chapter introduces Susan Shelby Magoffin's diary and her journey down the Santa Fe Trail. It highlights Magoffin's initial enthusiasm and idealized view of the West, drawing parallels to other frontier narratives.
- Early Entries: Frontier Luxury: This section delves into Magoffin's early diary entries, focusing on her detailed descriptions of everyday life and her attempts to present a positive image to her family, particularly her parents, who opposed her marriage.
- Problems in the Wilderness: The Sounds of the Frontier: This section explores Magoffin's growing anxieties and discomforts as she journeys further into the West. It examines her isolation, her feelings of loneliness, and her anxieties about her surroundings.
- Illness and Pregnancy: Complications of Diseases: This chapter examines Magoffin's experiences with illness and the possibility of pregnancy. It explores how her husband's responses to her ailments further complicate her anxieties and reveal a more complex marital dynamic.
- A Religious Transformation: The Ruling Hand of Mighty Providence: This section analyzes Magoffin's increasing reliance on faith and the influence of religious perspectives on her experiences. The reader is introduced to her thoughts on childbirth, her miscarriage, and how she uses religious teachings to cope with difficult situations.
- Indian Customs: A World of Differences: This chapter delves into Magoffin's interactions with Native American cultures and her observations of their customs. It examines her fascination with the indigenous people she encounters and contrasts their practices with those of "civilized life."
- A Complicated Marriage: The Ups and Downs of the World: This section explores the complexities of Magoffin's marriage, focusing on her husband's lack of emotional support and potential infidelity. It examines how Magoffin grapples with her disappointment and the emotional consequences of her decisions.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This preview highlights the key themes and topics of the text, which include 19th century American literature, the West, frontier narratives, women's experiences, marriage, family, diary writing, self-reflection, and social commentary.
- Quote paper
- Dorothhee Koch (Author), 2007, The diary of Susan Shelby Magoffin, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/90956
