1、History and Anthology of American Literature,Part I. The Literature of Colonial America Part II. The Literature of Reason and Revolution Part III. The Literature of Romanticism,How to Define American Literature Definition: American literature is the literature produced in American English by America
2、n citizens. Basic qualities of American Writers: independent individualistic critical innovative humorous,How to define American Literature Anylytical approach Thematic approach Historical approach,List of Works,Sherwood Anderson Winsburg, Ohio James Baldwin Go Tell It on the Mountain Saul Bellow Se
3、ize the Day, Henderson the Rain King William S. Burroughs The Naked lunch Willa Cather My Antonia Kate Chopin The Awakening Stephen Crane The Red Badge of Courage,Theodore Dreiser Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy Ralph Ellison Invisible Man William Faulkner Go Down, Moses, The Sound and the Fury F
4、.Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby Alex Haley Roots,Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter Joseph Heller Catch-22 Ernest Hemingway The Sun Also Rises, The Old Man and the Sea James Jones From Here to Eternity Maxine Hong Kingston The Woman Warrior Harper Lee To Kill a Mockingbird Sinclair Lewis Main
5、 Street,Jack London The Call of the Wild, Martin Eden Norman Mailer The Naked and the Dead Carson McCullers The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter James A.Michener Cennennial Margaret Mitchell Gone with the Wind Toni Morrison The Bluest Eye,Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Alice Walker The Color
6、Purple Robert Penn Warren All the Kings Men Edith Wharton The Age of Innocence Thornton Wolfe Look Homeward, Angel Herman Wouk The Winds of War Richard Wright Native Son,Vladimir Nabokov Lolita Frank Norris The Ocopus J.D.Salinger The Catcher in the Rye Erich Segal Man, Woman and Child Upton Sinclai
7、r The Jungle John Steinbeck The Grapes of Wrath Harriet Beecher Stowe Uncle Toms Cabin William Styron Sophies Choice,Mark Twain The Adventurous of Huckberry Finn Alice Walker The Color Purple Rober Penn Warren All the Kings Men Edith Wharton The Age of Innocence Thomas Wolfe Look Homeward, Angel Her
8、man Wouk The Winds of War Richard Right Native Son,Part I. The Literature of Colonial America,Historical Introduction Early American writers and Poets Puritan Puritanism,Part I. Historical Introduction,I. The native American and their culture Indians II. The historical background of the colonial Tim
9、e Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent in 1491. Captain Christopher Newport reached Virginia in 1607. Puritans came the New England area, by Mayflower in 1619. The first settlement was established in Plymouth in 1620.,Early American Writers and Poets,South, Jamestown, Virginia: Cap
10、tain John Smith-first American writer 8 works Contributions: his description of America were filled with themes, myths, images, scenes, characters and events that were a foundation for the nations literature. He lured the Pilgrims into fleeing here and creating a New land. North, New England, Purita
11、n Writers William Bradford: first governor of Plymouth, The History of Plymouth Plantation, simplicity, earnestness, direct reporting, readable, moving. John Winthrop: first governor of Boston, The History of New England, candid simplicity, honesty Two Poets: Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor,Puritans,
12、One division of English Protestant. They regarded the reformation of the church under Elizabeth as incomplete, and called for further purification from what they considered to be unscriptural and corrupt forms and ceremonies retained from the unreformed church. The 17th century American Puritans inc
13、luded two parts: Separatists and Massachusetts Bay Group Their Religious Doctrines: original sin, total depravity, predestination and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace from God. They regarded themselves as chosen people of God. They embraced hardships, industry and frugality. The
14、y favored a disciplined, hard, somber, ascetic and harsh life. They opposed arts and pleasure. They suspect joy and laughter as symptoms of sin.,Puritanism,A religious and political movement. Through it, one sees emerging the right of the individual to political and religious independence. Their rel
15、igious doctrines: original sin, total depravity, predestination, limited atonement. Their attitudes toward entertainment: joy and laughter are symptoms of sin. Their attitudes toward work: work itself is a good in addition to what it achieves, that time saved by efficiency or good fortune should be
16、spent in doing further work.,Puritanisms influence on American literature,Purpose: pragmatic Contents: practical matter-of-fact accounts of life in the new world; highly theoretical discussions of religious questions. Form: diary, autobiography, sermon, letter Style: tight and logic structure, preci
17、se and compact expression, avoidance of rhetorical decoration, adoption of homely imagery, simplicity of diction.,Part II. The Literature of Reason and Revolution,Historical Introduction Benjamin Franklin Thomas Paine Thomas Jefferson Philip Freneau,Part II. Historical Introduction(1),Industrial Rev
18、olution: spurred the economy in American colonies. Independence War: the industrial growth led to intense strain with Britain. The British government tried to suppress their growth economically, and ruled them from abroad politically and levied heavy tax on them. these aroused bitter resentment in c
19、olonies. Constant conflicts resulted in American revolutionary war.,Part II. Historical Introduction (2),Spiritual life of the coloniesEnlightenment. Philosophical and intellectual movement. Advocated reason or rationality, the scientific method, equality and human beingsability to perfect themselve
20、s and their society. Agreed on faith in human rationality and existence of discoverable and universally valid principles governing human beings, nature and society. Opposed intolerance, restraint, spiritual authority and revealed religion,Benjamin Franklin (1),The only good writer of the colonial pe
21、riod. Printer, enlightener, inventor, scientist, statesman, diplomat Aid Jefferson in writing The Declaration of Independence. Seeking help from France in American Independent War.,Benjamin Franklin (2),Main Works: Poor Richards Almanac It contains many proverbs Autobiography With it he set the form
22、 for autobiography as a genre.,Style: he developed an utilitarian and didactic style. His style is characterized by simplicity, frankness, wit, clarity, logic and order.,Benjamin Franklin (3),Autobiography: inspiring account of a poor boys rise to a high position. It is a how-to-do-it book, one on t
23、he art of self-improvement. Contents: It covered Franklins life only until 1757 when he was 51 years old. It described his life as a shrewd and industrious businessman and narrates how he owned the constant felicity of his life, his long-continued health and acquisition of fortune. Significance: It
24、presents a prototype of American success which inspired generations of Americans. It is an embodiment of Puritanism and enlightening spirits.,Benjamin Franklin (4),Analysis of Selected Parts A. 3 paras a. He was interested in reading as a child.b. Being an apprentice to his brother, he began writing
25、.c. How he improved his argumentation. Summary: Franklin was thirsty for knowledge and improved his writing with practical methods. How he gained success through ones consistent effort and hard working. (self-improvement/education) B. 5 paras a. The way of learning language.b. Practice makes perfect
26、-a piece of advice on how to teach language.c/d. Relations with his relatives. Life experience.e. Learning Club: devoted on the improvement of young man, influence public opinion.Summary: Franklin was a practical, diligent man. In learning language, he had a great power of endurance and clever mind.
27、 He always tried his best to achieve his goal, no matter in life or study. (self-reliance),Why Franklin is admired and read widely?,He is a typical American, model of the self-made man, a cultural hero whose life exemplified the American dream of the poor boy who made good. He stressed the importanc
28、e of working hard to make money, happiness depending in the first place on economic success and optimistically believed that every American could do so. He was convinced that no man could be virtuous or happy unless he did his best to improve the life of his society and his own life.,Why say Frankli
29、n is the representative of American Enlightenment?,1.He believed in reason or rationality, the scientific method, equality and human beings ability to perfect themselves and their society. 2. He opposed intolerance, restraint, spiritual authority and revealed religion. Deist 3. He favored the educat
30、ion. Self-education, educating and disseminating knowledge among people by his newspaper and Autobiography, establishing learning club, college and library. 4. He favored freedom of thoughts. He set up the ideas of democracy in the USA.,Thomas Paine (1),Propagandist, pamphleteer, a master of persuas
31、ion who understands the power of language to move a man to action. Main works: The American Crisis Common SenseThe rights of man The Age of Reason,Thomas Paine (2),Study of the Selected Part 1. In what sense does Paine use the verb “try” in the first sentence of the essay?Paine used the word in the
32、sense of “test to the limit”, “subject to great hardships”. 2. To what 3 types of criminal does Paine indirectly compare George III? What is Paines attitude toward the British troops? 3. What does the writer think of the Tories? 4. What does Paine mean by an offensive war? What reasons does he give
33、for not supporting such a war? 5. What kind of war does he believe the American revolution to be?6. How do you understand the title of the essay?,Thomas Jefferson (1),Enlightener, planter, aristocrat, lawyer, a symbol of American democracy. Man of many talents: scientist, inventor, musician, linguis
34、t, architect, diplomat and writer.,Thomas Jefferson (2),Political Career: He served his country as Minister to France(1784-1789), Secretary of State(1789-1793), Vice President(1791-1801) and third President(1801-1809). Thoughts: Jeffersonian Democracy, which includes faith in the individual and comm
35、on man, dislike an overly strong government, and emphasis on the importance of education and on agrarianism and land ownership as they brought responsibility and true judgment. Politically, he is considered the father of the democratic spirit in his country. The society he thought of as ideal was on
36、e where landowning farmers could live under as little government as possible. Style: dignity, flexibility, clarity, command of generalization,Thomas Jefferson (3),The Declaration of Independence: The essay, adopted July 4, 1776, not only announced the birth of a new nation, but also set forth a phil
37、osophy of human freedom which served as unimportant force in the western world. It is a statement of American principles and a review of the Causes of the quarrel with Britain, presented the American view to the world with classic dignity. It instilled among the common people a sense of their own im
38、portance and inspired struggle for personal freedom, self government and a dignified place in society.,Philip Freneau (1),Father of American Poetry Teacher, political journalist, seaman, humanitarian, polemist, propagandist, satirist, loyal follower of Jefferson,Main Works: The Rising Glory of Ameri
39、ca (1772) The British Prison Ship (1781)The Wild Honey Suckle (1786) The Indian Burying Ground (1788),The Wild Honey Suckle,It is a deistic celebration of nature, romantic use of simple nature imagery, inspired by themes of death and transience. Much of the beauty of the poem lies in the sounds of t
40、he words and the effects created through changes in rhythm. Flower vs Human Being, Duration vs Life Show us how to live an useful life. In a revolution, one should not do nothing for his country for fear of being hurt, harmed and destroyed.,Summary of each stanza,Stanza 1 The first Stanza of the poe
41、m treats the advantages as well as disadvantages of the flowers modest retirementit is designed with beauty and well protected in solitude; whereas its beauty might be admired by few. Stanza 2 The second stanza suggests that the honey suckle bears a special relationship with nature which has advised
42、 it to keep away from “vulgar eye”, it has sent the soft waters flowing,Gently by. However, in spite of all the natures kindness, the flower can not escape its doom. The best time of its life is fading, for death is waiting. Stanza 3 The third stanza reveals the indifference of nature-the “unpitying
43、 frosts” are as much a part of nature as the “spft waters”. Thus, the notion that nature has provided a “guardian shade” for the protection of the honey suckle is a sentimental fancy.,It is relative, but death is absolute. Stanza 4: In the fourth stanza, the poet sees his fate mirrored in that of th
44、e flower. Human beings, as any other creatures or flowers, are a part of nature. They originated from nature and will surely return to nature some day, thus their reduction to nature in the day ahead will constiture no real loss.,Part III. The Literature of Romanticism,Historical Introduction Washin
45、gton Irving James Fenimore Cooper William Cullen Bryant Edgar Allan Poe Ralph Waldo Emerson,Henry David Thoreau Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman Melville Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,Part III. Historical Introduction,Stability, Prosperity, Freedom Geographically, America expanded its frontier. Economically,
46、 it began the industrialization and urbanization. Politically, people enjoyed more freedom. Culturally, cultural business prospered. Literary Ideas:Romanticism and Transcendentalism,Romanticism (1),2 stages: pre-romanticism (1770s-1830)post-romanticism(1830-60,65-75) Rise of Romanticism: appeared in
47、 England in the 18th century. Reaction against the prevailing neoclassical spirit and rationalism during the Age of Reason.,Romanticism (2),Moral enthusiasm: passion, emotion, fancy and imagination. Faith in the value of individualism and intuitive perception: display personalities, express feelings
48、 and ideas, stress mens rights for freedom and happiness. Human nature is of good will. Man can know the world through his own ability/conscience/intuition. Nature was a source of goodness and mans societies a source of corruption.,Romanticism (3),The literary works of romanticism mostly reflected t
49、he fantastic and thrilling stories taking place long ago and far away, rich in mystic color. The romantic had a persistent interest in the primitive literature, in which he found inspiration of various kind. The romantic showed a profound admiration and love for nature. The beauty and perfection of
50、nature could produce in him unspeakable joy and exaltation.,Transcendentalism (1),Appeared in 1830, marked the maturity of American romanticism and the first renaissance in the American literary history. The term was derived from the Latin verb transcendere: to rise above , to pass beyond the limits. Rise of Transcendentalism: the product of combination of foreign influence (German idealistic philosopher, neo-Platonism, Oriental mysticism, Confucius and Mencius) and American native Puritan tradition.,
