As Albert Einstein so eloquently once said “common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen”. Adolescence is a time to grow and develop both physically and mentally. It is a transition state from childhood purity to adulthood corruption. A common theme throughout recent history has been to “protect the children”.  This theme … Continue reading Restrictive Autonomy →

Written by Hannah Dewhurst As a seduction novel, Charlotte Temple portrays the classic story of an innocent girl romanced, impregnated, and then left for dead. The novel’s plot cautions against relations based on promises of marriage fueled by lust, usually driven by the seducer. It seems to be arguing what many books of the time … Continue reading Love vs Lust in Charlotte Temple →

By: Joe Kassas Adolescence is an era of time in one’s life where mistakes are frequently made, and experiencing these mistakes is what ends up defining who that person becomes. People in their years leading up to adulthood and even in early adulthood struggle with understanding the meaning of love, and the reason for why … Continue reading Love for the Right Reasons →

Written by: Hannah Woodel Girlhood/boyhood and autonomy are both very important aspects of what we refer to today as adolescence. Girlhood/boyhood is when young girls and boys have not yet become women and men, which means they are not yet old enough to be considered adults. This idea relates directly to adolescence - when one … Continue reading Girlhood and Autonomy in the Eyes of The Lowell Offering →

By Sarah Khanzada          Control is a common component of adolescence and is usually conducted by parents, other authoritative figures, and, in general, older people in an adolescent’s life as they typically know what is best based on their previous experiences. This control is typically utilized to protect that adolescent from harm’s … Continue reading Controlling Charlotte Temple →

By: Hannah Kramer Throughout the semester I have seen the reoccurring theme of a loss of identity throughout boyhood and girlhood in the stories I have read. After reading Susannah Rowson’s, Charlotte Temple, it is clear that this theme is relevant all throughout the plot of the book. Rowson sets the stage with this theme … Continue reading A Loss of Identity in Boyhood and Girlhood: Charlotte Temple →

Although many themes are undoubtably expressed in literature regarding adolescence, the themes that stuck out to me most in our readings up until this point were those of autonomy and control, and how these concepts interact with each other. These themes were most clear in Charlotte Temple and seemed to drive the whole plot of … Continue reading Autonomy and Control in Charlotte Temple: Jamie Roncinske →

In Charlotte Temple by Susanna Rowson, readers get a sense of what life was like before the notion of a period of adolescence existed. Adolescence is a term that before the early 1900's wasn't acknowledged as a period of life. We see the absence of an acknowledgment of this period throughout Charlotte Temple. It is … Continue reading Charlotte’s Journey to Find Identity and Autonomy: Krista Haigh →

by Julianna Ohnjec              The transition from childhood to adulthood (i.e. adolescence), is believed to be the period in which a person gains agency, beginning to form their own opinions and make their own decisions. Perhaps this is true today, as the society in which we live has become increasingly progressive when it comes to … Continue reading Agency, Societal Expectations, and Madame La Rue →