AMERICAN LITERATURE, AN OVERVIEW

PRE-HISTORY - PRESENT

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ERASPRE-

HISTORY

Native American Mythology

ENLIGHTENMENT (1607-1800)

Phase One (1607-

1750) Age of Faith

Phase Two (1750-1800)

Age of Reason

ROMANTICISM (1800-1855)

Gothic Literature

(sub-genre)

Transcendentalism (1840-1855)

REALISM (1865-1915)

Naturalism (sub-genre)

MODERNISM (1915-

1945)

Harlem Renaissance (1915-1929)

CONTEMPORARY (1945-PRESENT)

Science Fiction and

Fantasy

Influx of female writers

Increase in multi-cultural lit

PRE-HISTORY

NATIVE AMERICAN MYTHOLOGY • BEFORE EUROPEAN INVASION (pre-1620)• CHARACTERISTICS:

• CREATION STORIES – “How did __________ come to be?”

• NATURE as TEACHER/COMPANION

• STYLE/GENRE:• Oral Tradition – Not recorded until later

ENLIGHTENMENT

CHARACTERISTICS• INDEPENDENCE

• From Catholic Church • From aristocracy

• DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCES

TWO PHASES• AGE OF FAITH• AGE OF REASON

AGE OF FAITH(1620-1750)

CHARACTERISTICS:

• PURITANS AND PILGRIMS• Differed from Catholics – personal

relationship with God. No priest needed.

• Puritan Work Ethic - salvation through work and religious devotion.

STYLES/GENRES • SERMONS, DIARIES, LETTERS, POEMS• RELIGIOUS, STYLE IS DIRECT

AGE OF REASON(1750-1800)

CHARACTERISTICS

• SCIENCE AND LOGIC TEMPER RELIGION• IDEALISTIC PHILOSOPHY – POWER OF THE

INIDIVIDUAL

STYLES/GENRES • PAMPHLETS, SPEECHES, DOCUMENTS• INSTRUCTIVE, INFORMATIVE, ORNATE

• Declaration of Independence

CHARACTERISTICS:• ASSERTION OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT• INSTINCT AND IMAGINATION OVER FACT• DEVELOPMENT OF SYMBOLISM

STYLE/GENRE:• SHORT STORIES/NOVELS

WRITERS:• Nathaniel Hawthorne• Edgar Allan Poe – Father of American Short Story

ROMANTICISM1800-1855

GOTHIC(SUB-GENRE OF ROMANTICISM)

CHARACTERISTICS:• DARK SIDE OF ROMANTIC LIT• MAN HAS BOTH GOOD AND EVIL

ATTRIBUTES• SETTING – DARK, SPOOKY

(CATHEDRALS, CASTLES, RAIN, ISOLATION

• INCORPORATES SUPERNATURAL

TRANSCENDENTALISM(1840-1855)

CHARACTERISTICS:• MOVEMENT OF LITERARY ACADEMICS

CENTERED IN NEW ENGLAND (BOSTON• RALPH EMERSON – FATHER OF MOVEMENT• TRUTH – TRANSCENDS FACT / TRUST INTUITION • INDIVIDUALS MUST WORK TO UNDERSTAND

SELF AND THE WORLD AROUND HIM/HER.

KEY WRITERS: • HENRY DAVID THOREAU, WALT WHITMAN

REALISM1850-1915

CHARACTERISTICS:• FOCUS ON THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE• ANTI-MATERIALISM• OFTEN AIMS TO SOLVE A SOCIAL PROBLEM

STYLE /GENRES: • USED REGIONAL DIALECTS – the way

people actually spoke• REFLECTION OF LIFE AS IT IS

WRITERS:• MARK TWAIN, FREDRICK DOUGLAS

N AT U RA L I S M( S U B - G E N R E O F R E A L I S M )

CHARACTERISTICS:• DARKER FORM OF REALISM• FREE WILL IS AN ILLUSION

STYLE / GENRE:• THEMES OF SURVIVAL, FATE, NATURE

AS AN INDIFFERENT FORCE

WRITERS:• STEPHAN CRANE, JACK LONDON

MODERNISM(1915-1945)

CHARACTERISTICS:• BREAK WITH TRADITION, RISE OF NEW YOUTH• RESPONSE TO WW’s I & II• ALIENATION• “JAZZ AGE”

GENRE /STYLE:• HIGHLY EXPERIEMENTAL – STREAM OF

CONSCIOUSNESS• USE OF FRAGMENTS/ALTERNATE

PUNCTUATION

FAMOUS “MODERNISTS”

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

JOHN STEINBECK

WILLIAM FAULKNER

E E CUMMINGS

T.S.ELIOT

H A R L E M R E N A I S S A N C E( 1 9 1 5 - 1 9 2 9 )

CHARACTERISTICS:• SURGE OF NEW ART (LITERATURE, MUSIC,

DANCE, THEATRE) BEGUN IN HARLEM, N.Y.

GENRE/STYLE:• LITERATURE, DANCE, MUSIC HEAVILY

INFLUENCED BY JAZZ

CONTEMPORARY AGE(1945-PRESENT)

CHARACTERISTICS:• INCREASED MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY• VALUES ARE NOT PERMANENT• ANTI-HERO• SEEKING SOCIAL CHANGE

GENRE/STYLE:• EMERGENCE OF SCI-FI/FANTASY AND

HORROR

CONTEMPORARY WRITERS

JOHN UPDIKE

TRUMAN CAPOTE

JOYCE CAROL OATES

STEPHEN KING

FUTURE

WHAT NEW FORMS OF LITERATURE MIGHT

EMERGE IN THE FUTURE?

IN WHAT WAYS HAS THE INTERNET BEGUN TO

AFFECT AMERICAN WRITING?

IN WHAT WAY(S) DO YOU FORESEE POLITICAL

AND CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION AFFECTING THE

LITERATURE OF TOMORROW?