American History and Literary Movements: An Overview

By

Jodi Smith

PNHS 2006-2007

“Let there be light!”

Enlightenment (1607-1800)The Age of Faith (1607-1750)

Grew out of the Protestant Reformation (1517)

– Anglo-American style: Puritans & Pilgrims (Work Ethic!!!)

– Genre/styles: Sermons, diaries, personal narratives; instructive and plain in style (Watch for this influence in this year’s readings)

– Examples: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”; Of Plymouth Plantation

The Rise of Reason (Light, pt. 2)• Age of Reason (1750-1800)

• Second phase of the American version of the Enlightenment

• American Revolution: VERY IMPORTANT as part of a philosophical/political shift

• Genre/Style: political; still instructive, but no longer plain in style (think persuasion!)

The heart has its reasons that The heart has its reasons that Reason knows not of…Reason knows not of…

Romanticism (1800-1855)Romanticism (1800-1855) Reaction to Reason (Europe—disillusionment with Reaction to Reason (Europe—disillusionment with

French Revolution; American—time of promise)French Revolution; American—time of promise) Industrial Revolution & Abolitionist MovementIndustrial Revolution & Abolitionist Movement Genre/Style: poetry, novels; imagination/intuition Genre/Style: poetry, novels; imagination/intuition

over rationalism; spiritual elements; focus on over rationalism; spiritual elements; focus on emotions (What else would you expect of emotions (What else would you expect of Romantics? Romantics? ))

Examples: Examples: The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter, Walt Whitman’s , Walt Whitman’s poetrypoetry

Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism: Romanticism for One, PleaseRomanticism for One, Please

Stress on intuition continues but is Stress on intuition continues but is applied to individualism, self-reliance applied to individualism, self-reliance (recognize a defining characteristic (recognize a defining characteristic of American culture???)of American culture???)

Examples: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Examples: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau

American Gothic: American Gothic: The Dark Side of IndividualismThe Dark Side of Individualism

Pronounced supernatural elements Pronounced supernatural elements (stark contrast to Transcendentalism)(stark contrast to Transcendentalism)

Individual no longer all-powerful; Individual no longer all-powerful; he/she is at the mercy of he/she is at the mercy of uncontrollable forces beyond uncontrollable forces beyond understandingunderstanding

Characters are not all-good or all-badCharacters are not all-good or all-bad

Keepin’ it realKeepin’ it real

Realism (1865-1915)—carries American Realism (1865-1915)—carries American culture from the end of the Civil War to the culture from the end of the Civil War to the Great War (WWI)Great War (WWI) Civil War brings a certain cynicism: “true” literature Civil War brings a certain cynicism: “true” literature

that does not idealizethat does not idealize Social focus on class; IR and Darwin bring about Social focus on class; IR and Darwin bring about

materialistic philosophy BUTmaterialistic philosophy BUT Changing times bring desire to preserve Changing times bring desire to preserve

Regionalism (East vs. Midwest vs. South, etc.)Regionalism (East vs. Midwest vs. South, etc.) Reaction against RomanticismReaction against Romanticism

Realistic Characters Realistic Characters “Got Style”“Got Style”

Ordinary people (What does this tell you Ordinary people (What does this tell you about the audience? About social about the audience? About social changes?)changes?)

Heroes reject class systemHeroes reject class system Nature is all-powerful (not God, Reason, Nature is all-powerful (not God, Reason,

or the Individual)or the Individual) Examples: Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Examples: Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher

StoweStowe

Naturalism (Hippie Naturalism (Hippie Ancestors?)Ancestors?)

Form of Realism; attacks Traditionalism Form of Realism; attacks Traditionalism in general (i.e., organized religion, in general (i.e., organized religion, patriotism) and embraces patriotism) and embraces Meaninglessness Meaninglessness

Highly image-laden rather than Highly image-laden rather than allegory/symbol-laden (photo rather than allegory/symbol-laden (photo rather than complex painting)complex painting)

Examples: Stephen Crane, Jack LondonExamples: Stephen Crane, Jack London

Modernism: Leaving those Modernism: Leaving those things which are behind…things which are behind…

IR’s affects felt across the social spectrum; IR’s affects felt across the social spectrum; fear of future/loss of pastfear of future/loss of past

WWI: mass destruction; first truly WWI: mass destruction; first truly dehumanizing war (man as machine)dehumanizing war (man as machine)

Rise of youth culture; first optimism (going Rise of youth culture; first optimism (going into war), then alienation (after war)into war), then alienation (after war)

Style: experimental, deliberately artistic Style: experimental, deliberately artistic (fragments, stream of consciousness, etc.)(fragments, stream of consciousness, etc.)

Examples: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Examples: Hemingway, Fitzgerald, SteinbeckSteinbeck

Multicultural Modernism: The Multicultural Modernism: The Harlem RenaissanceHarlem Renaissance

Distinctive Black Cultural Distinctive Black Cultural movement; art, literature, and movement; art, literature, and music from the perspective of music from the perspective of African AmericansAfrican Americans

Examples: Langston Hughes, Examples: Langston Hughes, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale HurstonHurston

Contemporary Literature: Contemporary Literature: Talkin’ ‘bout My GenerationTalkin’ ‘bout My Generation

• 1945-present: You define it…1945-present: You define it…– Media-saturation: What effect does this have Media-saturation: What effect does this have

on perceptions, daily life, etc?on perceptions, daily life, etc?– Tradition/Absolutes: Do they exist? Who Tradition/Absolutes: Do they exist? Who

determines them?determines them?– Prosperity: What effect has this had on social Prosperity: What effect has this had on social

attitudes/actions?attitudes/actions?– Genres/Styles: Given the above, what would Genres/Styles: Given the above, what would

you expect with regard you expect with regard to…facts/fiction?...heroes/villians?...community?to…facts/fiction?...heroes/villians?...community?