I think an interesting topic that comes up in Charlotte Temple is the question of guilt for Charlotte's state of affairs and the events that happen to her.  In an 19th century viewing, it could be argued that she either brought this fate upon herself by sneaking out, or that she allowed it to happen.  … Continue reading Charlotte Temple: Who’s to blame? →

  One thing that the 19th century has in common with modern day is the idea of girlhood and how it can cause girls to re-examine the way they are viewed by society and their peers. “Girlhood” and “boyhood” are dated versions of “adolescence”, which is an umbrella term used for teenagers of both sexes. … Continue reading Girlhood and the Pressures It Inflicts on Young Women →

While reflecting on Rowson’s Charlotte Temple, I realized I would do anything to get into Charlotte’s mind; ironically, this is similar to Montraville, a man in the story, doing anything he could to get into her “pants.” Still though, I wonder, what were her reasons for leaving her family, disobeying their wishes and travelling to … Continue reading Charlotte Temple: Adolescents Who Can Logically Reason Are Not Adolescents →

Adolescence is a time when our autonomy is constantly being tried—whether it is as simple as going out with your friends instead of studying for a test or as complicated as running off to another country with a man you just met. Although these issues lie in two different centuries, Charlotte Temple reveals that adolescents … Continue reading Autonomy Theft in Charlotte Temple →

Let’s be honest, everyone in this book has some form of power -- minus Charlotte. More specifically, when thinking about the theme of “power,” I really wanted to hone in on the idea of Madam La Rue’s social power she gained towards the end of the book. In Chapter XVIII, Susanna Rowson goes into great … Continue reading Madame La Rue: Power Hungry or Self Preservation? →

Olivia Blazic “A sudden beam of joy passed across her languid features, she raised her eyes to heaven and then closed them forever” (Rowson 102). Loss is best expressed in the novel Charlotte Temple, in both subtle and obvious ways. This novel argues that without addressing the theme of loss you would have nothing else, … Continue reading A Novel Without Loss is no Novel at All →

Natalie Balzarini Teenagers are typically thought of as being highly emotional and not all that reasonable. These characteristics are also typically considered undesirable. As a result, you end up with didactic tales warning adolescents of the dangers of following your emotions. Charlotte Temple is one such tale of warning, and the author, Susanna Rowson, made … Continue reading Disregarding Emotions in Charlotte Temple →

A theme that can be seen in Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple and that will likely recur in other readings for this class is the concept of autonomy — more specifically, a lack thereof. Throughout the novel, Charlotte Temple displays a reluctance to make her own decisions and little independence. Similar to how many young women … Continue reading Charlotte’s Lack of Autonomy →

Erick Patterson Throughout the novel, Charlotte Temple, the main character Charlotte Temple is taken on a journey that involves a plethora of poor decisions, and ultimately her death. There are many different themes that continuously pop up in the novel, but the one that stood out to me the most was the theme of power. … Continue reading Gender and Power in Charlotte Temple →