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History of american literature
History of american literature
History of american literature
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Authors, a lot of them surround us today, they are the person who enhances our imagination, or gives existence to anything that is plain and different. In American history, there were a number of poets and authors who rose to popularity. They changed people’s outlook on everything, and added a great amount of different things in American literature. Throughout this time, there were a couple of great poets and authors who helped create the local color school in American fiction. One poet who helped in this movement was Bret Harte.
Bret Harte, an American author and poet, was born on August 25, 1836 in Albany, New York. His father, Henry Harte, and mother, Elizabeth Ostrander, both worked as teachers. His full name was Francis Brett Hart, but he decided to use Bret, denouncing the last T. His father then legally changed their last name to Harte instead of Hart. He practically grew up in a family that has a small financial status at that time. Due to the family’s money background, his education lasted for only a small amount of time. At the age of nine, his father died, and as such, his mother remarried which made them move to the Pacific Coast.
In Bret Harte’s whole life, he worked a lot do different jobs. He was a tutor, a shot-gun rider on a stage-coach, a printer, a reporter, a columnist, an editor for Northern California, and many more. It was in Northern California where Harte got his first exposure in journalism, writing, and editing. When the Gunthers Island Massacre happened, he became so furious and used his power as writer to lash out what he felt in and editorial rage. However, the reaction he got from the locals was opposed to what he felt, and he was asked to leave the town. Harte felt that the locals were unfair to ...
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... treats Piney as her own child, and is moved with the couples love. After ten days of living in the cabin, she died from starvation. She requested to Oakhurst to give the rations she has been saving to Piney. He felt all them were already hopeless, so he ordered Tom to hike to Poker Flat and try to get some help. After a couple of days, when the help arrived in the cabin, the found two women huddled together, frozen to death, and close by Oakhurst was found with a gun near him, a bullet right through his heart, and a suicide note saying “Beneath this tree, Lies the body of John Oakhurst, who struck a streak of bad luck on the twenty third of November, 1850, and handed in his checks on the seventh of December, 1850.” (Harte 458). This story shows that people can change their life when they want to, and that anyone can develop feeling despite whatever they did before.
The makeup of the novel consisted of pieces from McCandless’s diary and letters to friends, but they did not make up the entirety of the story. McCandless pieced together evidence of the fatal adventures of McCandless and included his own personal interpretation of what occurred, causing uncertainty about the accuracy of this non-fictional literature. In the author’s note he said, “But let the reader be warned: I interrupt McCandless's story w...
America was a newly formed country at the dawn of the nineteenth century, and many social issues would be dealt with during this time period. Walt Whitman and Mark Twain were two authors during this era and both authors challenged the views and cultural upbringings that surrounded the nation at that time.
When a writer starts his work, most often than not, they think of ways they can catch their reader’s attention, but more importantly, how to awake emotions within them. They want to stand out from the rest and to do so, they must swim against the social trend that marks a specific society. That will make them significant; the way they write, how they make a reader feel, the specific way they write, and the devotion they have for their work. Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgard Allan Poe influenced significantly the American literary canon with their styles, themes, and forms, making them three important writers in America.
As a follow up on my poetry project, I chose to select Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen. When I initially wrote on the poets, I was shocked how unaware of them I was. I discovered interesting facts about each poet. Langston Hughes Claude McKay and Countee Cullen were very inspiring during the Harlem Renaissance. I did not know who Countee Cullen was until I did my project and decided to explore his work during the 1920s. It seemed Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes were popular during this time. Langston Hughes was a leader during the Harlem Renaissance. By using poetic examples of Claude McKay, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes work, I will describe the feelings and representations of African American during the early 1920s.
... a recurring theme of the dream of equality. Hughes composed many poems and plays during the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Era, and his legacy continues to be evident throughout American culture. His words inspired many, and showcased the plight of African-Americans in that era. Hughes’ impact was memorable because he lead African-Americans into writing, much like other distinguished African-American authors of the Harlem Renaissance period. His voice was heard above most other authors of the 1920’s and 30’s, and he expressed his wishes for improved treatment of the black race and the eradication of segregation in the United States with lyrical, thought-provoking poetry and symbolic dramas. Hughes inspired many writers and social activists after him, and continues to be a prominent figure in the general and literary achievements in African-American history.
While Addie lies dying on her corn-shuck mattress, Darl convinces Jewel to take a trip with him to pick up a load of lumber. Darl knows that Jewel is Addie's favorite child. The trip for lumber is a contrivance- Darl's way of keeping Jewel from his mother's bedside when she dies. A wheel breaks on the wagon, and before Darl and Jewel can replace it, bring the wagon home, and load Addie's body onto it for the trip to Jefferson, three days have passed. By this time, heavy rains have flooded the Yoknapatawpha River and washed out all the bridges that cross it. The river is vicious, and the Bundrens' mules drown. The wagon tips over, and. Jewel, on horseback, manages to keep the wagon and its load from drifting downstream, saving his mother’s decomposing body. When the family finally makes it through the ordeal, they spend the night at the Gillespies' farm. Darl sets fire to the barn where Addie's body is stored in an effort to spare his mother. However, Jewel once again saves her coffin with a heroic act.
However, “With racism still rampant and economic opportunities scarce, creative expression was one of the few avenues available to African Americans...” (“Great Days in Harlem”). Which led to an increase of black writers and musicians. These writers became popular when, “The white literary establishment soon became fascinated with the writers of the Harlem Renaissance and began publishing them in larger numbers.”(“Great Days in Harlem”). The publishing of these works influenced today’s society by making writers such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes and Arna Bontemps.
America's greatest and most influential authors developed their passion for writing due to cataclysmic events that affected their life immensely. The ardent author Richard Wright shared similar characteristics to the many prominent American authors, and in fact, attained the title of most well-known black author of America. Richard Wright created many important pieces of literature, that would impact America's belief of racial segregation, and further push the boundaries of his controversial beliefs and involvements in several communist clubs.
During the 1920's and 30’s, America went through a period of astonishing artistic creativity, the majority of which was concentrated in one neighborhood of New York City, Harlem. The creators of this period of growth in the arts were African-American writers and other artists. Langston Hughes is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the period know as the Harlem Renaissance. With the use of blues and jazz Hughes managed to express a range of different themes all revolving around the Negro. He played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance, helping to create and express black culture. He also wrote of political views and ideas, racial inequality and his opinion on religion. I believe that Langston Hughes’ poetry helps to capture the era know as the Harlem Renaissance.
“Eventually they decide I will go to Beechwood 4 weeks of the summer, then visit dad…” (Lockhart 55). But Cady just wanted to see the liars and try to remember. When Cady did return to Beechwood she starts to piece together small fragments of what happened but this only reveals more secrets. She remembers waking up on the beach and seeing her grandad’s face lit up by the light of a fire. Now that Cady has a small idea of what happened the stress and weight starts to set
Like in many tragically true stories, it would seem Mrs. Mallard 's freedom came too late. Kate Chopin’s, “The Story of an Hour” begins by introducing Mrs. Mallard as a person afflicted with heart trouble. The story builds on this by having Mrs. Mallard’s sister Josephine and her husband Richard explain the situation in a very sensitive manner. Their efforts would prove to be in vain however as Mrs. Mallard then proceeds to emotionally break down. The news shocks Mrs. Mallard to her very core and has her at odds with how she should feel now that all was said and done. After coming to terms with her situation, fate delivers its final blow in a cruel and deceitful ploy towards Mrs. Mallards. And with that, Mrs. Mallard 's dies. In her hour of change Mrs. Mallard 's was delicate, thoughtful and excitable.
The imagery portrayed in the first half of the story is solemn, melancholy and grim depicting the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard, is effortlessly flabbergasted at the harsh news of her husband, Brently Mallard’s disastrous death. In hearing the news of Brently’s premature death, Mrs. Mallard immediately accepts his death and is overcome with grief and leaves to her room unaccompanied. It is in her room, which she peers through the window contemplating on the recent news that she has received, when there is an overall shift to the
Many people have a goodness inside of them, even if it may not show all of the time. Three of the main characters in Bret Harte’s story, “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” had a hidden goodness, because they each showed that they weren’t what they were made out to be.
History, current events, and social events have really influenced American Literature. Authors have been influenced by the world around them and that has reflected in their works. This can be seen throughout the many eras studied in this class. It can also be seen in all types of literature such as playwrights, fiction, non-fiction, and poems. It can also be seen in all of the different writing styles such as, realism, modernism, and post modernism. It is important that American Literature has been influenced this way because Authors have shown us their personal views and insight to situations one would not get out of a history textbook.
The emergence of black women writers on the American literary scene was not a sudden or a fortuitous event.Their bursting on to the scene was a result of the new found consciousness of black American women.They were increasingly becoming conscious of the racist and patriarchal oppression that they were being subjected to in America.By the 1970's the black women had the knowledge that both-The Civil Rights Movement and The Feminist Movement were neglecting the issues relating to black women.Despite being active participants in both the move...