Many popular texts found in 19th century American literature depict emotion, the effects of which can be seen as both beneficial and dangerous for individuals and communities. In Lippard's The Quaker City, the intense emotion of the characters helps position the story as a cautionary tale. In contrast, Mitchell's A Bachelor's Daydreams depicts a young hero who, by employing emotion, uses the full extent of his imagination and is thus finally ready to become an adult. Both texts present the effects of emotion and illustrate the 19th-century view that emotions are sources of both strength and weakness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The characters in The Quaker City are highly emotional, thus warning 19th-century readers of the dangers of allowing emotion to influence one's actions. In one instance, Mary discovers a romance novel and tells Lorrimer that she "found the volume on the table and was reading it" when he came in, due to his placing the book there to tempt her (Lippard 384). Lorrimer planted the book to "wake up her animal nature in full action, and when her veins were all alive with fiery pulsations [and] when her heart was alive with sensual life..., then she sank helplessly into his arms…., and flutter towards his ruin” (Lippard 385). In fact, the romance novel leads Mary to imagine a real romantic relationship between her and Lorrimer, similar to the relationship depicted in the novel. However, once she experiences sexual desire and imagines the happiness described in the novel, Mary becomes very vulnerable to Lorrimer's trap. Blinded by her desire for imagined perfection, Mary loses her ability to analyze situations and read people's actions. Eventually, Mary realizes the danger she has put herself in and cries out for help, "Oh, Lorrimer, save me, save me", hoping that he could stop the dangerous emotions polluting her mind (Lippard 388). Instead, Lorrimer takes advantage of her weakness and rapes Mary, disgracing her before she marries. Clearly, the lesson of this story is that temptation, in all its forms, is dangerous and should be avoided. Here temptation bred intense emotion, which weakened Mary and imbued Lorrimer with greater power and determination than he might otherwise have had. Lippard suggests that a good woman maintains and controls her emotions, a behavior that will keep her safer and more respected. Mary, although a victim, becomes a fallen woman after being raped. For the rest of her life, Mary will have to deal with the consequences of releasing her emotions. She is still ashamed and no man will marry her. Bess, another character in Lippard's The Quaker City, also suffers from an excess of emotion. Seduced and taking advantage of the past, Bess resents her acquaintances for their lack of pain and tries to make them suffer so that they will understand her plight. Bess, having suffered the same manipulation as Mary, knows what will happen to her, but does not warn her. Instead, Bess encourages Mary, helping her with her hair and admiring her in the wedding dress. Bess may feel sympathy for Mary, but her pathological resentment overwhelms her, forcing her to lure Mary into Lorrimer's trap. Once again, Lippard demonstrates the extent to which intense emotion can take over an individual and control their life. Bess has the power to prevent Mary's rape, but her resentment toward the happiness of others leads her to fuel the danger. Another character from The Quaker City, Livingstone,. 474-584.