Let Every Man Mind His Own Business

Let Every Man Mind His Own Business, by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is a short story in the temperance fiction genre. It was published in 1839.

Plot Summary

The story opens with Alfred Melton attempting to persuade his cousin and her fiancé, August Elmore and Edward Howard, to sign a temperance pledge and swear off alcohol. They at first refuse noting their already temperate lifestyle and their belief in the "let every man mind his own business" philosophy. However, Alfred eventually convinces Augusta to reluctantly sign on behalf of her husband, agreeing to watch over him. Very soon Augusta and Edward are happily married, mostly keeping to themselves and engaging in intellectual pursuits such as singing and reading in their home. After some time the Howards begin to socialize more outside the home and engage in more "excitement" according to Stowe. Eventually, the two have children and Augusta is unable to leave the house as frequently. During this time Edward succumbs to temptation and begins drinking more and more heavily, having to be carried home one evening by friends. Unfortunately, even Augusta’s pleas cannot save him at this point and he begins to travel extensively, involving himself in risky business ventures which eventually leave him bankrupt. Once all has been lost the Howard family moves to a new city where they are unknown so that they may fade into the background. For some time they live in poverty until one day Augusta’s brother Henry arrives in an attempt to save her. She resists at first but eventually leaves an act which does cause a slight moral upturn in Edward. One day, on an errand, Augusta visits the home of Mr. L who is also being visited by Mr. Dallas. Mr. Dallas finds out that Augusta is the wife of Edward, whom he is "familiar" with, and he hatches a scheme to save the Howard family. When he first approaches Edward to offer help, Edward resists, feeling that he is already too lost. However, he eventually breaks down and agrees to move to the home of Mr. Dallas and attempt a reformation. At first his stay his characterized as imprisonment by Mr. Dallas, but this is necessary since Edward is suffering from terrible fevers and delirium. Before long, Edward is recovered and rejoins Augusta to raise their happy family.

Possible Themes

"Let Every Man Mind His Own Business", by Harriet Beecher Stowe, is a short story in the temperance fiction genre. Published in 1839, it serves to promote the temperance movement by demonstrating the perils of alcohol use. Stowe characterizes the use of alcohol as a moral failing and descent into animalism, the result of which is eternal damnation in hell. She goes on to imply that it is the responsibility of society to look after their neighbors and ensure that they are not tempted by intemperance. Fact|date=May 2008 While the title of "Let Every Man Mind His Own Business" may at first seem inappropriate for the resulting message Stowe implies, it can actually be seen as a warning to the reader that this "to each his own" philosophy is socially irresponsible. In fact, the main characters of the story originally espouse this ideology before they themselves succumb to a lifestyle of degradation. At the end of the tale they are saved by a character who specifically denounces the idea of “to each his own”, thus reinforcing Stowe’s idea of social responsibility. Fact|date=May 2008