1- ] American Literature .

1- ] American Literature

AMERICAN LITERATURE

American literature is generally defined as literature from the United States or its earlier colonies that is written in English. American literature, both in the way it was practiced and the way it was perceived, came of age in the period between 1870 and 1920. During these years American writing distinguished itself stylistically and thematically from the European tradition to which it had been dismissively compared for more than a century. American authors also increasingly gained respect as serious artists in the decades following the Civil War as literary critics inside and outside the academy began to appreciate the intrinsic merits of American poetry and prose.

American literature generally refers to literature from the United States that is written in English. It is important to note that some object to the term “American literature” to refer to English-language literature in the United States because the term erases literature from elsewhere in the Americas that is written in Spanish, Portuguese, French, or other languages.

The history of American literature is intertwined with the history of the United States itself, and many of the following facts illustrate that relationship.

Herman Melville, Henry David Thoreau, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, Ernest Hemmingway, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou; this is just a tiny handful of the great names in American literature. For a relatively young nation, the breadth and diversity of literature written in the United States are remarkable. It is home to some of the most important authors in the world and has spawned literary movements that have since spread around the globe. American literature also served to tell the story of the developing nation, creating a perpetual link between American identity and the country's literature.

Importance of American Literature

American literature has played a significant role in shaping the culture and identity of the United States as well as influencing the development of literature around the world. The novels, poetry, and short stories of writers such as Edger Allen Poe, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain have made an enormous contribution to the existence of literature as we know it today.

Did you know that Edger Allen Poe is credited with the creation of the modern-day horror genre and detective story?

American literature was also important in developing American identity by telling the story of the nation. The literature helped the new country establish itself as independent from past literary traditions hailing from Great Britain and the rest of Europe. Literature also helped to develop the nation by articulating ideas central to national identity.

What are major characteristics of American literature?

The common tendency of American literature is to be focused on politics, economics, and social status. Satire, sarcasm, and cynicism can be also often find their way into the works of American authors. For example, language functions as a vehicle of protest in “The Catcher in the Rye” and “The Great Gatsby.”

Some of the characteristics of American literature include an emphasis on the importance of individuality, providing a strongly American sense of place, and embracing a diverse array of authors and styles.

Like many art forms, literature is a way for a culture to define and create its identity. It is at once a reflection of cultural identity and a way of perpetuating that identity. American literature exposes many aspects of American identity, such as an inclination towards independence and individuality. At the same time, it reinforces and constructs these qualities of American identity by solidifying and universalizing them in literature.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (1876) is a classic example of American literature.

American literature has generated some of the most important and influential authors worldwide who have shaped literature into what we know today. It also played an important role in the development of the United States and American identity.

What is the main theme of American literature?

Self-reliance and imagination were the main themes in literature of this period. Some other themes include nature, romance, and faith.

What are the main genres of American literature?

American literature can be divided into fiction and nonfiction. Nonfiction encompasses historical documents, articles, books, and essays. Fiction in American literature can be divided into poetry, short stories, novels, and dramas.

Features of American Literature

It can be difficult to generalize the features of American literature due to the breadth, variety, and diversity of American authors. However, many of the literature’s identifiable features can be linked and attributed to typical ideas of the American experience and American identity.

Early on, American literature was characterized by its self-conscious effort to break away from literary forms established in Great Britain and other European countries.

American authors, such as John Neal (1793-1876), were inspired to create their own literary style emphasizing the realities of American life, including the use of colloquial language and unmistakably American settings.

A sense of individualism and celebration of the individual experience is one of the central features of American literature.

American literature can also be characterized by its many forms of regional literature. These include Native American literature, African American literature, Chicano literature, and the literature of various diasporas.

The Features of Early American Literature (Colonial American Literature)

Why do you think American literature in the colonial and revolutionary periods was mostly non-fiction?

Early American Literature writing that emerged from the original U.S colonies during the period from 1607 to the late 1700. It was largely influenced by British writers and was created to inform people about colonial life, religious disputes and settlement issues. Many of characteristics of early American literature can be found in the poems, journals, letters, narratives, histories and teaching material written by settlers, religious figures and historical icons of the period. American Literature includes the writings of Marry Rowlandson, William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet and John Winthrop.

American Literature had been affected from many ways; each way makes a different in America’s literature. The three characteristics of American Literature include – plot of decline, indifferent of nature, 3rd person omniscient reaction to romanticism and surrealism.

Firstly, American Literature reflects beliefs and traditions that come from the nation’s frontier days. The pioneer ideals of self-reliance and independence appear again and again in American writings. American authors have great respect for the value and importance of the individual. They tend to reject authority and to emphasize democracy and the equality of people. They often celebrate nature and a sense of boundless space.

Second, American writers have always had a strong tendency to break with literary tradition and to strike out their own directions. Writers of other countries seem to absorb their national literary traditions. But many American authors have rejected the old in order to create something new.

Thirdly, a lively streak of humor runs thorough American literature from earliest times to present. In many cases a dash of salty humor saves serious theme from becoming too sentimental. American humor tends to be exaggerated rather than subtle. It reflects the people’s ability to laugh at themselves even during the most difficult times.