For many years, America cherished its image as a Golden Door for the world s oppressed. But during the Progressive Era, mounting racial hostility along with new national legislation that imposed strict restrictions on immigration began to show the nation in a different light. The literature of this period reflects the controversy and uncertainty that abounded regarding the meaning of American. Literary output participated in debates about restriction, assimilation, and whether the idea of the Melting Pot was worth preserving. Writers advocated and also challenged what emerged as a radical new...