A Romance of the Republic, written by Lydia Maria Child, is an intriguing novel which
reflects certain predominant 19th-century views about racism, patriarchy, and class status. One
aspect of this story that is unique is the constant use of a flower motif, through which the reader
is drawn into a Paradise that is fantastically created, an Eden that is not limited in its range of
vision due to the wealth, class, nationality, and color of its individuals, but rather embraces
the many hues and varieties of life that any beautiful and perfect garden must possess. …
