Exam Flashcards
Write an essay about American Puritanism: features, authors, works.
The Puritans were English protestants who arrived to America in 1620. They followed the teachings of Martin Luther: that God is all-powerful and men are wicked. Everybody believed that he/she was the chosen one, and by following the puritan moral code they tried to earn their place among the chosen. They believed their duty was to preserve the Christian faith, they were fundamentalists. Some of the features are: simple writing style, focus on religious themes such as predestination (God chose some people for salvation while others are headed for eternal damnation), incorporation of many Biblical allusions… Benjamin Franklin was one of the first promoters of
pragmatism and deism and he opposed the idea of predestination believing that a man alone was responsible for his own life. He wrote “The way to wealth”. The most interesting of the puritan histories was “Of Plymouth Plantation” written by William Bradford. He described the difficulties the puritans had during the first winter and the difficult relations with Indians. Michael Wigglesworth wrote the first American bestseller which was cruel and frightening “The day of the Doom”. Poets that were also important were Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor. Cotton Mather wrote “Magnalia Christi Americana” where he described everyday life and used a more complex style along with Latin words.
Define American literature.
It is literature written in America and colonies that preceded it. It started with ancient oral traditions of Native Americans, it is focused on politics, economics and social status. Satire, sarcasm and cynism can be found in American works. Language is often used for protest (like in “The great Gatsby”). Some of the themes are
independence, individualism, freedom, nationalism, slavery, while some of the characteristics are the American Dream, social criticism, Realism, historical context.
Early American fiction, most important novelists.
It spanned from the 17th to the early 19th century and included novels and short stories… Many of the early works emphasized hard work and perseverance which reflected the puritan influence on the culture. James Fenmore Cooper portrayed the encounters between settlers and Native Americans, some of his works are “The Pioneers”, “The spy”, “The last of the Monicans”. Writers like Benjamin Franklin (“Autobiography”, “The Way to Wealth”) provided insights into the political and social picture of that time. Some of another important novelists are
Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe (“The Raven”), Herman Melville (“‘Moby Dick”), Harriet Beecher Stowe (“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”).
Discuss the works of Hawthorne.
He was known for mis exploration and moral of dark psychological themes his works are about realization of individual identity, the responsibility to save your own soul, individual suffering etc. Hawthorne’s use of symbolism, allegory and moral ambiguity contributed to the development of American literature in 19th century. He often delves into the psychological complexities of his characters and explores the impact of sin, guilt and the human condition.
“The Scarlet Letter” is about consequences of adultery in Puritan society, influence of a new democratic experience of an individual obsession with morality, forbidden love, soft style us. morbid themes: sexual issues, guilt.
“The House of seven Gables” is about heritage and history of New England, focusing on themes of guilt, redemption and the influence of the past and present.
“The Minister’s Black Veil” is a work in which the black veil symbolizes a sin and hidden guilt, causing speculation amongst other people. This work explores themes of isolation, judgment and the human tendency to hide personal flows. It serves as an allegory for the mask people wear to hide themselves.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
He was an American philosopher and poet who played a crucial role in the development of transcendentalism, a philosophical and literary movement in the 19th century. Some of his works are “Nature”, “Self-Reliance”, “The American Scholar”, “The Poet” and “The over-soul” » supreme underlying unity which transcends duality or plurality. It is seen as a universal spirit that connects all living things and beings. It represents a higher, collective consciousness that transcends individual souls. His essays and poems influenced many other authors.
Henry David Thoreau
He was an American essayist, poet and naturalist who practiced the introspective self-reliance that Emerson preached. He is known for nis ecological consciousness, independence, peaceful resistance and civil disobedience. He built a cabin near the Walden Pond and lived there for a little over 2 years in order to experiment with simple
living. This experiment, about which he wrote in his work “Life in the Woods”, was driven by a desire to simplify his life, focusing on the essentials and rejecting unnecessary materialism. He gathered the spiritual and philosophical insights that could be gained from a deep connection with nature. This work had a big impact on the environmentalist movement and the awareness of the importance of conservation and appreciation for nature. This work is a mixture of poetry and philosophy. The construction of the cabin is a metaphor for the careful construction of one’s soul.
Poetry of Whitman.
A poet who was influenced by Transcendentalism and Realism, he sees America as a democratic experiment, so his poetry is experimental too, it was a continuous expression of his identity. His poetry is expansive, pluralistic and free from the poetic limits (first free verse). He often expresses the human need for intimacy and love, explores physical contact and union, claims that a poet’s soul is in unity with the universe and reader. He sees the spiritual and physical as one. Flamboyant style was contrasted with the reserved Victorian ethic of the period. His most famous workes are: “Leaves of Grass” (containing “song of Myself”’), “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry”, “Democratic
Vista.”… The freedom he discovers in pluralism becomes the heart of his identity, he seeks a new type of literature that would revive Americans. He invented a myth of American democracy, changed the opinion that America is too new to be poetic.
Analyse some poems by Emily Dickinson…
She wrote poems for herself or her friends, she didn’t follow traditions nor religion when it comes to poetry. She adored nature, questioned the dark side of the human mind and lived a solitary simple life. She wrote the most original verses in American poetry. In her poem “I’m Nobody: Who are you?” Emily explores the theme of individuality and the cost of conforming to societal expectations, expressing a preference for being an outsider. The tone is playful yet subversive, inviting the reader to consider the value of staying true to oneself. In the poem “Wild Nights - Wild Nights!” she uses maritime imagery to convey intense emotions like love, desire and freedom. The poem captures the nature of powerful emotions, leaving room for interpretation and self- reflection. Another poem, “A bird came down the walk” highlights the delicate balance between nature and human existence, Emily employs vivid and sensory descriptions to depict the bird’s encounter with the observer. The use of dashes adds a
sense of contemplation by creating pauses. She used dashes in the other two poems, too.
Explain the role of Gude in Emily Dickinson’s poems.
The theme of Christian faith has always been present in the work of Emily D., although her attitude towards religion and God is ambiguous. In her works we can see doubts about the ideals imposed on her by the Puritanical upbringings. She seems to merge the idea of God with an abstract energy force which move through nature and is available to human kind. Her poems used imagery to convey her idea that there is a higher power, using nature as symbolism to show how she felt about God. Nature imagery was often used to portray people’s relationship with their creator. Emily portrayed her belief through poems such as “I Duell in Possibility “. Emily didn’t go to church much, but instead had a relationship with God on her own, in her own thoughts and poems, her attitude was complex, we can observe it in the poem “Some keep the sabbath going to church/I keep it staying at home.”
Mark Twain
Widely considered as one of the greatest American writers of all time, Mark Twain is best known for his works “The adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. He wrote more than twenty novels and numerous short stories. He transcended the apparent limitations of his origins to become a popular public figure. He is known as the father of American literature. The literary movement he wrote during was American realism and the genres he wrote in were adventure fiction, opinion journalism, essays, autobiography etc. Twain had a looser narrative style, the way characters spoke sounded like real speech, and no two characters sounded the same. His writing style is characterized by humor and evocative descriptions and great control of vernacular speech.
American Dream in American literature and Great Gatsby.
The American Dream’s status as a symbol of hope for success and a better life is blurred into a symbol of getting rich. The character of Gatsby symbolizes a corrupted dream: his wealth is a solution to his problems and his
incorruptible love for Daisy, the novel presents his dream as a shallow and ultimately unfulfilling pursuit. The American Dream is the hope that anyone can achieve success if they work hard enough, this dream shows itself as one based on socioeconomic status and corruption.
Explain American realism.
A movement that began in literature in the mid 19th century with a style that depicted contemporary social realities. The idea is to portray things truthfully and remain faithful to the real world. Its themes are complex characterization, psychological dilemmas and social critique. One example is “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain.
Explain American naturalism.
A literary movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It emphasizes the influence of the environment and social conditions in shaping human character. The major elements of naturalist works are determinism, objectivity, pessimism, plot twists, the inability of people to resist their own circumstances.
American literature naturalists dismissed the validity of comforting mores truths. They attempted to achieve extreme objectivity and frankness, presenting characters of low social and economic classes who were dominated by their environment. Example: Frank Norris.
Post WWII fiction.
American literature reflected the movement of disillusionment and portrayed the lost generation. Some of the main topics were fears of new wars, rising dictators, anti-war perspective.
African American literature + authors.
Writings by people of African descent living in the US, genres closely tied to African American’s way of life,
their needs, their aspiration, their history and culture, racism, slavery and social equality. It comes in forms of fiction, poetry, autobiography, drama and essays. One of the most important authors is Toni Morrison who was influential in publishing many other black writers. Her intention was to bring stories about African American people that she felt were absent or misrepresented in American history. She mixes both the historical real with magical, her work is essentially dialogic. Some of her works are “The Bluest Eye”, “Sula”, “Beloved”. Zora Neale Hurston uses rich imagery in both real descriptions and in metaphors for non-visual elements like emotions or a general sense of events, she also gives personification to inanimate objects or animals. She writes in an enthusiastic tone. Some of her works are “Man of the mountain”, “Their Eyes were watching God”.
Multicultural fiction vs. ethnic fiction
Literature which embraces many cultures and where culture itself is an integral part of the story. It incorporates nationality, ethnicity, class, gender, religion, family status, geographic difference, linguistic variation and any other possible differences. Ethnic fiction centers around the cultural, historical and social aspects of a specific ethnic group. It explores traditions, identity, heritage, struggles and challenges of a community. Ethnic fiction delves deeper into the unique aspects of a single ethnicity, while multicultural fiction may feature a mix of cultures.
