American Literature

Contemporary Period was a time of mess. Beginning in 1945 and still is going on today, there were a lot of things going on. This period was marked for everything after WWII. During the Contemporary Period the people think of war as an inedible mess. They start to pull away from social and political norms. Periods before the Contemporary, women didn’t have much say in anything. Well, that changed, women become more involved, they get to say more and participate more. Not only did women get more say, more ethnicities and cultures are also involved in world affairs. Genres start to advance and expand. Society start to expose unknown truths. During this period of time no one had a filter, people just kind of said what came to their mind, they didn’t hold back on anything. Finally, the digital world starts to make its way in. Phones, televisions, and more electronic devices started to be created. There was an expanse of medical advances. Poetry, novels, and short stories were starting to be more graphic. For example, “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker, “To Kill Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee, and “Beloved,” by Toni Morrison. Poetry was starting to change as well, they weren’t on the dark side. For example, “Hourglass Museum,” and “Small Knots,” both by Kelli Russell Agadon. Short stories during the Contemporary Period were typically strong, for example, “Victory Lap,” by George Saunders. In conclusion, the Contemporary Period was a time of strong and weak outcomes. Novels were starting to be more graphic, poems were more calm but exposing, and short stories had a very strong message to them.

Sources: https://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=9780030958441

      American Modernism was the beginning of the start of the 20^th century. It was the time between World War I and World War II. This period in time was when writers started to reflect on the lives of the working class. Modernism was an artistic movement that represented the struggle that many had which challenged their past lives when normal things weren’t as important anymore. Modernism was encouraged by domestic shifts such as increase in city life, technology, and wealth. Other things contributed to the Modern era too, such as war, death, and materialistic things. There are many novels, short stories, and poems that also contribute to American Modernism. Novels from the American Modernism era typically focused on the people and they were fiction. Some novels were, “A Rose for Emily,” ”Light in August,” and “Sanctuary,” all by William Faulkner. Poetry from American Modernism focused on many things but some examples are imagination, the future, and the past. “The Waste Land,” by T.S. Elliot, “The Snow Man,” by Wallace Stevens. Short stories also played a part in American Modernism. They typically focused on one even, they have one plot, one setting. They are normally short and brief. They don’t have many characters, and they cover a short period of time. An example of a short story from American Modernism is, “The Aspern Papers,” by Henry James. In conclusion, American Modernism was a time where novelist and authors were starting to reflect on the lives struggles of the working class. Also, focusing on things that challenged people’s past lives.

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American Realism began as a reaction to Romanticism. During this time authors were becoming blunter. In their writings they weren’t sugar coating, they were getting right to the point. They were exposing the truths of society. This period started about 1840/60 and ended in about 1914. The Realism era was the era that started to focus on the low middle class and immigrants. Typically, novels, short stories, and poems from this era are more aggressive and focuses on death. For example,” O’ Pioneers,” by Willa Cather, “Portrait of a Lady,” by Henry James, and “On the Origin of Species,” by Charles Darwin. Poetry during this time was really on the aggressive and dark side, mainly about death. For example, “Because I could not stop for Death” and “I heard a fly buzz- when I died,” both by Emily Dickinson. The short stories are similar to gothic fiction, they typically give graphic details. For example, “The Furnished Room,” by O. Henry. In conclusion, American Realism consist of many authors who were very blunt and focused on the low middle class and immigrants. While focusing on the low middle class and immigrants they also focused on a more aggressive way of viewing things which consists of death

Romanticism is a period of fast explosion where America developed a clear identity. American Romanticism can also be described as an artistic, literary, and intelligent movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the eighteenth century. This era was filled with authors who wrote and published between 1800 and 1860, when the United States was still finding its feet as a new nation. Romanticism valued individualism, imagination, families, love, nature, and the past. Novels from the Romanticism Era typically had either a dark side to them, had some sort of hero, or talked about the outside world such as nature. Some examples of novels from the Romanticism period were Frankenstein, Scarlet Letter, and The Heart of Mid-Lothian. All three of these novels either has something to do with a super-hero, has a dark side, or is taking place in the outside world. Poetry was a big deal throughout the Romanticism era. As for the novels, the poems also typically had a darker side, a super hero, or a theme related to nature. Some examples of poetry throughout the Romantic era would be The Raven, The Eve of St. Agnes, and To a Skylar. These poems bring out the darker side of Romanticism. Short stories were another part of the Romanticism era, which were typically fiction. A short story from the Romanticism period is The Minister’s Black Veil. Again, this short story also brings out the darker side of Romanticism.

       The Foundational Period of American Literature was a period in time where European explorers and Native Americans encountered each other for the first time. The Foundational Period was considered to be any time before the 1900s. This period of time was widely accepted throughout history. Encounter & Foundations: Five Hundred years ago Europeans and Native Americans encountered each other for the first time. In 1620, the Puritans landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Really emphasizing self-reliance and attentiveness, the Puritans established a new society. When the philosophy of rationalism spread from Europe to America, the belief in the power of reason combined with an American rationalism was the mind-set that led the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. During the Foundational Period William Bradford writes, “Of Plymouth Plantation.” Anne Bradstreet “The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America,” is published in England. Jonathan Edwards publishes “The Selling of Joseph,” a tract against slavery. The Virginia Convention in 1775. “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God” was delivered by Jonathan Edwards. All of these events happened during the Foundational Period. All of these events are really important which shows why the Foundational Period was really important and widely accepted throughout history.

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