What makes them special?

To the common everyday student, professor, or just average person the names Phillis Wheatley and Samson Occom probably mean nothing to them (unless you're an American literature geek then you are thinking back to Am. Lit. 1). In order for you to understand my project better, I think it's important to provide some information about them. I will be dedicating almost 8 weeks of my summer to researching them so there has to be a reason; Why Wheatley and Occom? What makes them special?

The idea of this project came out of a conversation I had with one of my English professors. In the early stages of my Magellan planing I knew one thing- I wanted to research Native American literature. As I came to find out that's a little too broad of a topic, but it was a good start. In my discussion with this professor, she briefly mentioned Wheatley and Occom. Apparently her mentioning the two and how they were semi-connected to one another (as you will see later on) seemed to have caught my eye, for at the end of the conversation when I still seemed entirely confused she basically called me out. She said that my body language seemed to shift and I showed interest in the two. I didn't notice this, but once she brought it to my attention the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place. That was it, I was going to do research on Wheatley and Occom.

So now you are probably still thinking, but what is it that makes them special? I've told you where the idea came from, but why them, what's the connection?

The best way to describe it is to compare the two's basic information:

Phillis Wheatley	Samson Occom
1753-1784	1723-1792
Lived in Boston, MA	From Connecticut
First African-American women to publish a work of literature	First Native American to publish a work of literature
As a slave she assimilated into the Anglo-culture	As a preacher he assimilated into the Anglo-culture
Both Wheatley & Occom corresponded with one another

Sources: Wheatley, Occom

And I am sure that there is much more that connects the two, but for now that sums up the premise. These two literary pioneers have a lot in common, and it amazes me even more that they both knew and wrote to one another. I think my research will unearth more connections between the two, but for now I hope this answers the questions, why Wheatley and Occom? And what makes them special?

And so it begins!

Where to start? I guess from the beginning would be best since explaining this project is something I better get used to doing. In next few months, especially this fall, I feel like many questions will be asked and one is definitely going to be "What was your Magellan?" I think the best way to explain it is to describe two situations that I always find myself in when I tell people about my summer plans.

Both situations usually start off the same way:

"So what are you doing this summer...?" the person always seems to ask.

"Well... my school has a program called the Magellan Project which helps fund internships and independent research projects during the summer."

At this point the conversations goes one of two ways. The first is the most common, and unfortunately the least informative:

"So that means I will be conducting research in Boston, MA and Hanover, NH on two literary pioneers who wrote and lived during the same time period."

The person usually responds...

"Oh, I love BOSTON! You know it's a great city! You'll love it."

And with that the conversation ends...ok so it doesn't really end but describing my Magellan does. I'm not sure if it's because the person assumes I am crazy for wanting to do "literary" research (I feel like the thought of it horrifies people) or because they don't want the conversation to slip into a surprise lecture about literature from the 1700s.

But that is only the basics of my overall project. That response is something that would be found in a folder about my project, in the "less than 20 words" description on the first page of the file. It lacks focus, depth, and any specific connection to what and why I am even doing this.

The second direction, which I have only had a handful of people pursue, is much more like an interrogation.

"Wait... so what will you be doing exactly? I don't get it. Tell me more!"

After the shock of realizing someone wants to know more, I precede to be overcome with word vomit...

"I will be staying for four weeks in Boston, MA researching Phillis Wheatley, an African-American poet, at libraries and historical societies in the area. Then my next four weeks will be spent in Hanover, NH, where I will do research at Dartmouth College on Samson Occom. I will be doing a historical and literary analysis of the two. They have a lot in common. They were literary pioneers in their respective ethnicities, minorities who assimilated into an Anglo society, and wrote to another."

So I guess that sums up my project. To some people it may sound boring. Why literature? Why Wheatley and Occom? Why New England?

   

I guess my response is simple- why not? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can't wait for it to begin!