First Great Awakening
In the 1700's, a European philosophical movement, called the Enlightenment, swept America. Also called the Age of Reason, this era laid the foundation for a scientific, rather than religious, worldview. Freedom of conscience was at the heart of this struggle against old regimes and old ways of thinking, and it changed the way people viewed authority. In the same way, a religious revival, called the Great Awakening, changed the way people thought about their relationship with the divine, with themselves and with other people. The Enlightenment engaged the mind, but the Great Awakening engaged the heart.
The First Great Awakening affected British North America in the 1730s and 40's. True to the values of the Enlightenment, the Awakening emphasized human decision in matters of religion and morality. It respected each individual's feelings and emotions. In stark contrast to Puritanism, which emphasized outward actions as proof of salvation, the Great Awakening focused on inward changes in the Christian's heart.
A) <span>Vonnegut uses satire in this excerpt by describing a society that has taken the idea of equality too far
By referencing the idea that everyone is equally intelligent, or perhaps unintelligent, thanks to the Handicapper general, who apparently hobbles people who were born with certain gifts. This obviously isn't good, and suggests that the idea of equality is being taken to the extreme in 2081. </span>
Epics normally explore the topics of heroic deeds and rewarding adventures. Hope this helps!
