American Jefferson Essay -- essays research papers

Ameri discount Sphinx The character of Thomas JeffersonA book by Joseph J. Ellis. Copyright 1997 Vintage.Joseph J. Ellis, a historian who was educated at the College of William and Mary and Yale, is a Ford Foundation Professor of History at Mount Holyoke University. He has written four books on historical topics, centered on the sequence Jefferson was alive, dealing with issues and personalities Jefferson dealt with firsthand. After authoring a book on a governmental leader such as John Adams, Ellis seems to have felt a fatality or want to focus on Jefferson, presumably because of his status as founding father and main contributor to the constitution. Elliss thesis in American Sphinx can be summed up by the quote in the prologue by James Parton If Jefferson was wrong, America is wrong. If America is right, Jefferson is right. However, Ellis gave the impression that he was brought reluctantly to the task of researching and writing so extensively on Jefferson. Perhaps he was spurr ed on by the rebirth of interest in the Jefferson legacy. In new-fangled years, the exposure of Jeffersons affair and subsequent illegitimate children to a mulatto knuckle down named Sally Hemings, and Elliss own experience of watching another bookman of Jefferson imitate him to near perfection probably inspired Ellis to add a few more notches to his authoring resume. The influence Jefferson has over Ellis is apparent. He began college at a school founded by Jefferson, and is fond of a statue conspicuously facing the womens dorms on campus. His professional research and scholarship always involved some(prenominal) indirect influence by Jefferson. Even so, in writing this book, Joseph Ellis has interpreted an unbiased approach to Jefferson, never smoothing over points and incidents in which Thomas had decidedly misjudged. Ellis realizes that in reality, no politician or leading figure can ever amount to the ideal of perfection attributed to some, (i.e. Jesus Christ) but stands by Jefferson in the face of heavy critics who would defame Jeffersons name and course based on issues and or mistakes that happened in life outside the political world. I have also noticed that Ellis, when quoting other Jeffersonian authors, give contradict the reference he quoted, but will not dispu... ...wn errors, which will never be intentional and your support against the errors of others, who may condemn what they would not if seen in all its parts. (Pg. 214) Quite profound in equation to the speeches often heard today by Presidents who would never admit to any(prenominal) wrongdoing. (I did not have sexual relations with THAT woman) After his term of mail was over, Jefferson led an active life in American ideals and politics. However, his life was never the same after his wife died, and many of the current criticisms of Jefferson stem from this rear presidential period. It is my firm belief that Jefferson deserved no reprimand for his actions then, or now. To conclude, J efferson has been turned into a hero to me by Ellis, and probably without Ellis intending to do so. A scholar such as Joseph warrants literary acclaim when he creates a biography that so wonderfully illustrates the life of a man to whom this land owes so much. It is my intention to reread this book, and perhaps others he has read. Based on the fact that this is a book review, I will jump into touchstone Cosbys shoes, pretend Im on Reading Rainbow, and gibber a little song about this book.