The Role of Religion in Early American Literature1) The role of religion played an important role in early American literature. Many different authors from different time periods incorporate religious ideas and philosophies into their writings. Some authors from different time periods who did this were Johnathan Edwards, Anne Bradstreet, and Henry David Thoreau. Anne Bradstreet was a puritan. Just like all other Puritans of his time, he examined his conscience daily and always felt humbled by God's creations and powers. One poem in which he expresses the ideas and philosophies of his religion was "Contemplations". This poem was about very religious topics. In this poem she talks about her admiration for God and how she and all humans are humbled by God's creations. She says, "The higher I looked at the glittering sun. Whose rays were shadowed by the leafy tree; the more I looked, the more amazed I was, and sweetly I said: 'What glory do you like?' Soul of this world, eye of this universe, no wonder some have made you a deity; if I had not known better, alas, I would have done the same." This quote means that a tree amazes her with its beauty. Furthermore, he is saying that the thing responsible for creating such a thing must be equally as beautiful if not the most beautiful on earth. The self-examination part of his religious part comes into play because this poem was very long and confusing; just what I thought his life was like. She suffered from rheumatic fever and throughout her life suffered from periods of fatigue and faced death eight times while giving birth to eight children. I think he wrote the poem to represent his life, he felt that his life was very long and drawn out. She also saw that there was a... middle of paper... she wouldn't be so hated, but she knows that Christianity is just a mask and that white people will always see a nigger first they see a Christian. "'Their color is a devilish dye.' Remember, Christians, black niggers like Cain, can be refined and join the angelic train. "I think these debates about race are presented in the lyrics as a counter reaction to something that was written before. Like Cooper and Stowe they created best sellers with their diluted stories of how slaves, Indians and slaves were mistreated. Apess and Wheatley counter by saying that their people have been treated much worse than they were portrayed and that no one knows that I think notions of race and interracial relationships have definitely changed over the years Now a mixed couple is perfectly acceptable and the racism exists but it is not at the level it was before.