American Literature
American Literature has come from far and is here to stay. It is one of the studies that have formed the foundation of literature in Europe. Ideally, the heart of American literature rests on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Although these periods were characterized by resistance, freedom, and rebellion, the roots of American literature grew aggressively and strong. Given the competency in poetry, the language in essays and other literary forms, the efforts of the Americans is elucidated in these works. These works of literature perfectly illuminated the events affecting society, ranging from racism, slavery, rebellion, and other problems affecting society. Consequently, this is where American literature began, including drama, fiction, and poetry. The American novel is characterized by movements like Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, and modernism; these movements are a clear description of how American literature was characterized by environment and time, moreover; these exemplary works of literature reaffirm that being American is having awareness on the environment and what is happening around it and addressing it through literature.
Realism was the period after Romanticism in American literature. The movement existed in the middle of the 19th century. According to the realists, late realism was considered as a stepchild to American literature. It was a mirror reflection of reality the society (Newlin). Relatively, realism was a broad movement in American Literature and was able to survive until the 19th century. The book “Up from Slavery” by Booker T Washington illustrates life during the Realism and Naturalism era. He describes how rice and technology had made them slaves among slaves. Washington addresses slavery and racism through his real incidents in life as a youth. He says in the book, “Up from Slavery,” “I was born a slave in Franklin County, Virginia.” Moreover, Washington discuses racism and the struggle for education in a colored nation full of injustice. Realism was characterized and required that artists and writers focus on the now and here. “one must be of one’s own time” this was the central notion of the movement.
Realism is also considered an arty aspect of the political and social climate in late 1830 and 1840. Individuals had become worried about the working and existing conditions of locals and factory workers. Therefore, Washington’s book ‘Up From slavery’ addresses how they were treated in the rice and cotton factories. These works of literature during these times were similar in that they focused on contemporary life engagement, through increased surveillance on the lives of others in the community. In furtherance to this, American realism had, for a long time, battled with the problem of definition. As people failed to understand if realism was a journal, technique style, or a period in the civil war. As a movement, it was characterized by negativity, revolt, and a unique ethical outlook. The rise of realism, which existed in the nineteenth century, was characterized by two histories. The first one was a transition from romanticism to realism, which progressed from the romantics in 1850s to naturalists in the 1890 and 20th century. The other one was the disruption and anxiety caused by feminism. The works of females like Sophia Foster, Elizabeth Stuart, and others represented a transition in the culture of literary works through serious writing at the expense of sentimental authors. Additionally, in “Realism and the Uses of Humor'” John Bird shows a reflection of the ways by which the American humor in the 19th century greatly influenced writers of realism through the provision of humor to create a setting, satirical mood characterization, and sociality. In furtherance to this, more styles used by realist writers were metaphors extracted from paintings and photography. Naturalism was much like realism and aimed at promoting equal treatment of the peasants. Ideally, naturalism was greatly influenced by philosophy and other literary methods, including social determinism and existentialism. Referring to characters in naturalistic novels where social class, emotions, morals, and passion were portrayed as lessons to society.
Modernism turned out to be the most dominant and arty movement during the 19th and 20th centuries. Modernism refers to the cultural expressions, techniques, and social thoughts that emerged with old traditions after political disputes in Europe during 1800. Most modernist writers created works that represented not only a moment or region but also the universal. Conferring to the literature of W.E.B Dubois, in the book “Souls of Black Folk,” the book focuses on history, politics, and race in relation to African Americans. Furthering to this, he clearly articulates his work with an allusion to the book of genesis, which was both a perfect style in the past and in the current generation. Moreover, in his works, he uses pronouns personal testimonies and the third person setting to address racism. In relation to the racism, he personally wishes it was possible for men to be both Negro and American (Bois). Such applications in his literary works make his works exemplary in the history of American literature by making the book a world instrument where Americans can refer to while studying human affairs. Moreover, each chapter in the book of Dubois serves its purpose. The first chapter sets a spiritual tone on the entire book. He addresses unreconciled disputes in African American lives after the civil wars with the desire to be engaged in the modern culture of American despite the color.He argues that the theme of freedom had been blocked by a ‘veil’ of prejudice as he extends this theme Freedmen’s Bureau history in the reconstruction era of the former slaves. Like Washington’s issues, Dubois addresses the need for higher education by the blacks as he provides a poignant eulogy of his dead infant son. The latter succumbed to diphtheria in 1899 as a case of human sorrow’ of the black. Conferring to the book “A Raisin in the Sun” by Hansberry who reviews DuBois strategy, her work is central to the economic, social conditions and education to the African Americans (Nowrouzi ) She was greatly influenced by Dubois and thus DuBois’s opinion on racism was significantly embedded on Hansberry works. Both were great friends with childhood interactions, and that’s why the works of Hansberry reflects much on Dubois literature.
Modernist art will never age and remains a contemporary culture. It is the break from traditional forms to new narratives techniques and standard conventions to venture into urban and appropriate life. The main features involved in modernist literature were drama, poetry, and fiction. Ideally, Poetry requires historical context and culture of the past to reflect on the current generation. Sandburg’s poems are an excellent example of works and works of literature characterized in this period. Conferring to a poem titled ‘Chicago” in Sandburg’s poetry, most of the poems are based on history and the past to reflect on the issues that happen in the present. He symbolically addresses brutality by referring to the brutal men as (Sandburg)‘Hog butcher for the world,’ he says, ” I have seen the gunman kill and go free to kill again.” This brutality still manifests itself in society in many ways, like brutality of police officers to the citizens.
As the name of the period suggests, contemporary literature is the most current literary form. It has been there since the 20th century until now (Ahmad and Abdelreheem). Although most of the writers and worked are from the 20th century, there are also writers and artists from the 19th century and are categorized under the contemporary period. The contemporary period of American literature is the period between 1945 up to date. This period is no more ironic and reflects society’s political, social, and personal disillusionment. Furthermore, contemporary literature is characterized by cynism concerning the role of art and literature itself. The primary element that inner feelings and own experiences to the surface. This was the inner life and external life events. Additionally, expressionism tries to bring out the internal struggles of a character and the state of mind. Conferring to the story of Jack Kerouac, the story portrays an excellent example of works of the contemporary period. The book ‘On the Road’ by Jack Kerouac is a story about the author’s life and the inner expressions of the other. Furthermore, the story is centered on the personal life experiences of Kerouac and his friends. The novel by Jack Kerouac is an adventure of a writer (Kerouac) and other friends who travel across the country. They are in love with life and enjoy sex, drugs, and jazz. Sex, drugs, and jazz are the characters’ inner expressions, as explained in the contemporary period. Ideally, the book shows what it means to be an American Youth while retaining Americans’ history and freedom. Kerouac’s literature utilizes beat writing in late modern studies in relation to Kerouac’s works in line with modern literature. His works were founded on the composition and process of turnover of his life events. Therefore, these characteristics articulate together to produce a convincing and impressive writing program.
The environment setting has greatly influenced American Literature since ancient times. Literature is the mirror to the society and forms the pillar stones of our lives. Literature reflects on the issues that happen in the community; this is evident from the works of literature discussed in this essay. Moreover, racism and discrimination are the significant challenges faced by society; therefore, literature acts as the platform for those with no voice in the community. An excellent reflection on society clearly articulated with African American tradition is by Dubois in the book “The souls of Black folk.” Following the American literature’s evolution from all the other literary periods to the current and contemporary period, many improvements have been evident from styles and delivery to the readers.
Works Cited
Bois, Du W.E.B from “The Souls of Black Folk” The Norton Anthology of American Literature,
1865 to present. shorter 9th ed, e-book, edited by Julia Redhead W.W. Norton &
Company, 2017.pp 920-921.
Kerouac, Jack. “on the road” The Norton Anthology of American Literature,1865 to present.
shorter 9th ed, e-book, edited by Julia Redhead W.W. Norton & Company, 2017.pp. 333 342.
Nowrouzi, Tayebeh, et al. “In search of equality: a dream deferred for African Americans in A Raisin in the Sun.” Theory and Practice in Language Studies, vol. 5, no. 11, 2015, p. 2269+. Gale Literature Resource Center, https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.pgcc.edu/apps/doc/A446637382/GLS?u=pgcc_main&sid=GLS&xid=47f8f9be. Accessed 29 July 2020.
Sandburg, Carl. “Chicago” The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 1865 to present.
shorter 9th ed, e-book, edited by Julia Redhead W.W. Norton & Company,2017. pp.267-268.
Shewry, Teresa. “States of Suspense: The Nuclear Age, Postmodernism and United States Fiction and Prose.” Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 57, no. 4, 2011, pp. 764-766. ProQuest, https://ezproxy.pgcc.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.pgcc.edu/docview/918227676?accountid=13315
Sauri, Emilio. “Cognitive mapping, then and now: postmodernism, indecision, and American literary globalism.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 57, no. 3-4, 2011, p. 472+. Gale Literature Resource Center, https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.pgcc.edu/apps/doc/A301872330/GLS?u=pgcc_main&sid=GLS&xid=5f4
- Accessed 28 July 2020.
Washington, T. Booker “Up from Slavery” The Norton Anthology of American Literature,1865to present. shorter 9th ed, e-book, edited by Julia Redhead W.W. Norton & Company,
2017.pp 701-709.
Winner, Kathryn. “Visions of Cody and Media: Jack Kerouac as Late Modernist.” Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 43, no. 1, 2019, pp. 132-149. ProQuest, https://ezproxy.pgcc.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.pgcc.edu/docview/2330962042?accountid=13315, doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.pgcc.edu/10.2979/jmodelite.43.1.08
Newlin, K. (Ed.). (2019). The Oxford Handbook of American Literary Realism. Oxford Handbooks.
Ahmad, M. E., & Abdelreheem, S. (2015). Characteristics of the contemporary literature. American Literature.