Post-Civil War American Literature saw a transition from the prominence of romance to the development of realism. In the late 1800's, the United States was experiencing swift growth and change as a result of a changing economy, society, and culture because of an influx in the number of immigrants into America. (Spiller 35) Whereas authors previously sought to "idealize human beings, fall in love with a dream, and then, reject the real man or woman who had inspired the dream", they now worked to accurately portray life and people as they really were. (Wagenknecht 68) Realists such as Henry James and William Dean Howells, two of the most prolific writers of the nineteenth-century, used typical realistic methods to create an accurate depiction of changing American life
	Henry James was one of five children of affulent, eccentric parents. While his birth in 1843 was in New York City, his parents were purposly rootless, and by the age of eighteen he had already crossed the Atlantic six times. He avoided participation in the Civil War because of a poor back and began a role which he would maintain throughout his life and writings, one of a detached observer rather than participant in the American social scene. (Matthiessen 14)
	The first phase of James' writing begins when he is twenty-one, in 1864 and continues until 1881. He was extremely popular during this time, especially during after publication of a short story Daisy Miller, which is concerned with the destruction of a naive American girl by European mores. James continues the theme of placing Americans without sufficient social experience into
the complex society and culture of Europe with The American, which chronicles a man whose finds himself unable to buy his way into French society. (Matthiessen 14)
	For Henry James, the years of 1882 to 1895 brought less success. His novels now took on a more political tone. (Matthiessen 15) In 1886, he published The Bostonians, regarding the feminist movement in New England. Here, "he complained that women who wanted to become just like men were disregarding their own uniqueness." (Norton 616) The Tragic Muse, published in 1890, continues this trend as it contrasts art with politics. After these works failed commerically , James turned to the British stage; he found no greater success there. (Matthiessen 15)
	The period of James' life recognized as the final phase, the one which Matthiessen calls the "Major Phase", revolves around three novels with which James assured himself a place in American Literature.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how post-civil war american literature saw a transition from the prominence of romance to the development of realism.
- Explains that henry james was one of five children of affulent, eccentric parents. his parents were purposively rootless, and by the age of eighteen he had already crossed the atlantic six times
- Explains that james' writing began when he was twenty-one, in 1864, and continued until 1881. he was extremely popular during this time, especially after publication of a short story, daisy miller.
- Analyzes how the years of 1882 to 1895 brought less success for henry james. his novels took on a more political tone.
- Analyzes how matthiessen's "major phase" revolves around three novels with which james assured himself a place in american literature.
- Analyzes how james' genius was recognized by those who share his craft. his works explore psychological subtlies; he is renown for his use of ambiguity and dramatic characterisation.
- Explains that william dean howells, born in 1837, was the son of a printer, and his early life was devoted to the typecast word.
- Explains howwells began his career by writing for a number of mid-western newspapers. howell returned to the united states in 1865 and worked for the atlantic monthly until 1881.
- Explains how howells began his first true novels based on his travel experiences, which provided the literary basis for his later works that his newspaper poems and serials had not.
- Analyzes how howells criticized american morality and ethics but managed to accurately portray life as it happened.
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- 1870-1880explanatory essay...ccording to Perkins, although French and Russian realists and naturalists influenced James style, “in Contrast to the European naturalists whose tutelage he acknowledged, he rebelled against the materialistic interpretation of human destiny, and struggled with the problem of undeniable evil as desperately as Hawthorne, whom, among earlier Americans he most admired” (Perkins 1055). This shows that James was greatly influenced by Europeans, but he also has his added his own unique American style. One of James’ stories, “Daisy Miller," takes place in Switzerland. Throughout this story Europeans see America as being hostile and somewhat harsh. During the decade between 1870 and 1880 , the United States was once again beginning to rebuild the nation. This rebuilding or reconstruction not only affected attitudes, but it affected art and literature throughout the world.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the united states experienced great changes with the end of the civil war. tensions were fairly high and an air of freedom was present throughout the nation.
- Explains that the decade of 1870-1880 consisted of many important issues in american history.
- Describes the events of 1870-1880, including the franco-prussian war, the japanese invasion of taiwan, and the treaty of san stefano.
- Explains that european immigrants helped shape american life by bringing their traditions and cultures to the united states.
- Explains the cultural trends that took place in the decade between 1870 and 1880.
- Explains that st. mary's was completed in 1871 to accommodate the increasing number of students at the university of dayton. the gymnasium was the largest structure of its kind in the city.
- Explains that brother zehler's activities began to take their toll in 1875, when father francis feith was replaced by father george meyer, the president novice-master of the cincinnati province.
- Explains that henry james was one of the more popular writers in the 1870’s. his main themes were about the innocence of new world and how it varied from the corruption of old.
1402 wordsRead More - Classicanalytical essay“Each one of us must suffer long to himself before he can learn that he is but one in a great community of wretchedness…repeating itself from the foundation of the world.” Many literary works written in a time period known as the ‘Gilded Age’, focused on emotions and fantasies that captured the attention of many. Although these works of literature are considered ‘classics’, people couldn’t relate the meanings to their own lives or the world around them. “A classic is a work of art so universal in appeal...it has survived the ‘tests of time” (Lazarus). A true literary classic can be applied to the everyday lives of both people of the past and future. William Dean Howells, an American realist, used his writing to depict the issues that many common Americans dealt with during his time period. The Rise of Silas Lapham tells the story of Mr. Lapham; a man who by ambition and motivation was able to rise to success with his paint company business; only to have this business crumbles before him practically overnight. Implementing realism through a series of ironic dramatizations, Howells was successfully able to depict the struggle of the American ‘self-made man’ reaching overall morality, thus making his novel a true classic.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how william dean howells, an american realist, used his writing to depict the issues that many common americans dealt with during his time period.
- Analyzes how the rise of silas lapham contains real-life characters in common place situations contrary to gilded age style of writing that was common in the late 1800s
- Analyzes how howells' realistic writing in the rise of silas lapham is the fact that the scenarios apply to multiple groups of people and generations.
- Analyzes how howells' novel is serious, purposeful, and realistic, focusing less on plot than on motivation, character and ethical and social problems.
- Analyzes how howell's novel, the rise of silas lapham, gives the reader a sentimental attachment to the characters that they see in everyday lives.
1047 wordsRead More - Inadequate Secondary Education in the United Statesexplanatory essayTwo years ago, I used to work at a photo shop in downtown Philadelphia. Except for me, the only foreigner, there were five Americans working there. Once, we talked about the American life in the beginning of the twentieth century. To support my opinion, I used an example from a short story called “The Gift of the Magi” by a famous American writer O. Henry. It was a very shocking experience for me to find out that nobody knew who O. Henry was or what he had done for the world literature.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that it is time to open the eyes to the modern world and develop a new "world-class curriculum" for use in all american schools.
- Explains ravitch, diane, and chester e. finn jr. what do our 17-year-olds know?
- Explains that american high school graduates are ranked low compared to other countries.
- Describes the logical conclusion based on statistics of the national assessment of history and literature.
923 wordsRead More - Realism In Daisy Miller And The Turn Of The Screwanalytical essayHenry James confronted the Old World-New World huddle by writing directly about it. Although born in New York City, he spent most of his adult years in England. Many of his novels center on Americans who live in or travel to Europe. With its intricate, highly qualified sentences and dissection of emotional and psychological nuance, James's fiction can be daunting. Among his more accessible works are the novellas Daisy Miller, about an enchanting American girl in Europe, and The Turn of the Screw, an enigmatic ghost story.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john clemens inherited his sense of humor from his mother, not his father. he was a serious man who rarely demonstrated affection.
- Analyzes how sam clemens' speculative ventures in silver mining, business, and publishing were a curse that he never quite outgrew.
- Analyzes how samuel clemens' childhood was a rough one, with measles, cholera, pneumonia, and john's death contributing to their financial instability.
- Narrates how clemens was reassured that chattel slavery was an institution approved by god, but he carried with him memories of cruelty and sadness, and the violence of hannibal itself.
- Narrates how clemens began writing huck finn's autobiography in 1876 while staying with his in-laws susan and theodore crane on quarry farm overlooking elmira.
- Analyzes how twain humiliated himself before boston's literary worthies when he delivered one of many speeches commemorating the 70th birthday of poet and abolitionist john greenleaf whittier.
- Analyzes how henry james confronted the old world-new world huddle by writing directly about it. his novels center on americans who live in or travel to europe.
1820 wordsRead More - flannery oconner: queen of ironyanalytical essayThe literary rebellion, known as realism, established itself in American writing as a direct response to the age of American romanticism’s sentimental and sensationalist prose. As the dominance of New England’s literary culture waned “a host of new writers appeared, among them Bret Harte, William Dean Howells, and Mark Twain, whose background and training, unlike those of the older generation they displaced, were middle-class and journalistic rather than genteel or academic” (McMichael 6). These authors moved from tales of local color fiction to realistic and truthful depictions of the complete panorama of American experience. They wrote about uniquely American subjects in a humorous and everyday language, replete with their character’s misdeeds and shortcomings. Their success in creating this plain but descriptive language, the language of the common man, signaled the end of American reverence for British and European culture and for the more formal use of language associated with those traditions. In essence, these new authors “had what [the author] Henry James called “a powerful impulse to mirror the unmitigated realities of life,” in contrast to the romanticist’s insistence “on the author’s rights to avoid representations of “squalid misery” and to present instead an idealized and “poetic” portrait of life” (McMichael 6).
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how realism established itself in american writing as a direct response to the age of american romanticism's sentimental and sensationalist prose.
- Analyzes how the literary naturalists emphasized that the world was amoral, that men and women had no freewill, and that religious "truths" were illusory. crane explored the absurdity of the human condition.
- Explains flannery mary o'connor's fascination with grotesque incidents and odd complex characters were common elements in her short stories. she was born march 25, 1925 in savannah, georgia, and died august 3, 1964 in milledgeville.
- Describes flannery o'connor's use of satiric irony, symbolism, and a unique style of comedy, which was often at odds with her devout roman catholic faith.
- Analyzes how flannery o'connor's use of satiric irony is evident in the short story "a good man is hard to find."
- Analyzes how o'conner's writing drew critical reviews because of her use of irony, sarcasm, and caustic wit.
- Analyzes how flannery o'connor challenged the mores and conventions of her time to emerge a literary visionary and true example of the best that american literature has to offer.
- Analyzes how o'connor's writings influenced the satiric and ironic rendering of american literature and contributed to the continuation of the realist and naturalist genres in literature.
1755 wordsRead More - Robert Frostanalytical essay"The American Novel . Literary Timeline . Movements ... - PBS." 2007. 7 May. 2014
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how frost's poem nothing gold can stay alludes to the realism he was born in, but lived most of his life in the modernism time period. frost’s calm images hinted at the darker truths beneath.
- Explains that frost's ability to talk to common people and scholars in plain but poetic language and observe ordinary occurrences with wit and irony is well appreciated because people get bored of people talking in just plain talk.
- Analyzes the literary element of characterization in william stafford's "the terror in robert frost." frost sold his farm for $1,900 to help his family live in england.
- Opines that frost has always been one of their favorite authors. frost reminds them that we can get through tough times if we use our imagination.
- Opines that frost was able to hide his sadness and depression into what he wrote, even though, his writing had very bright and happy images to them. frost's quote is "two roads diverge in a wood, and i took the one less traveled by."
- Cites armenti, peter, comp. "robert frost: online resources." library of congress.
529 wordsRead More - America and the Decay of Morality: The Great Gatsby and The Sun Also Rises Introductionanalytical essayAmerica is a popular image in literature and films. Dozens of writers sought to expose America’s vices and evaluate the consistency of its values, morality, and ethical norms. The pursuit for material wealth and the American dream were the topics most frequently discussed in American literature during the 1920s. The effects of World War I on individual beliefs and ideals, the ongoing decay of morality, the hollowness of dreams and convictions, and the failure to materialize one’s life goals together created a complicated situation, which often resembled a journey for nothing.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that america is a popular image in literature and films. dozens of writers sought to expose america's vices and evaluate the consistency of its values, morality, and ethical norms.
- Analyzes how f. scott fitzgerald's the great gatsby and ernest hemingway' 'the sun also rises' are similar in their commitment to the failure of the american dream and its moral hollowness.
- Analyzes how the two modernist writers depict america in the 1920’s in a state of moral decay and the pursuit for material wealth gradually replaces the purity of conventional moral ideals and beliefs in their ways.
- Analyzes how the post-war conditions and social developments of 1920s-america contributed to the increasing decay of moral values and led the characters of both novels to make difficult and, at times, inappropriate choices.
- Analyzes how gatsby is the best representation of how the american dream worked against the social and ethical stability of american society.
- Analyzes how nick's comment demonstrates the failure in the ideal goal. hemingway pursues the same line of ideas to depict his characters as representatives of the lost generation.
- Analyzes how hemingway's the sun also rises depicts the aimlessness of the post-war quest for material wealth and the depth of moral and ethical loss which american people experienced during the 1920s.
- Narrates how they passed ney's statue among the new-leaved chestnut trees in the arc-light. the inscription: from the bonapartist groups, some date: i forget.
- Analyzes how the statue of ney symbolizes the failure of the american dream — the latter had to become a visible representation and remind the americans of their goals and ends.
- Compares the representations of space which both stories' main characters are based in. fiedler argues that the earthly paradise for men only is associated with the west.
- Narrates how he had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close, but the dream was already behind him, somewhere in the vast obscurity beyond the city.
- Opines that gatsby should have stayed in the primitive west. he got in trouble because of daisy's car accident.
- Analyzes fitzgerald and hemingway's view of america of the 1920s as a country filled with autonomy, individualism, cynicism, and obscenity.
- Analyzes how nick is the brightest representation of the autonomous beliefs and values. his autonomy borders on cynicism and leads him to reject his own identity.
- Analyzes how hemingway uses his characters to emphasize autonomy and autonomy, which uniquely combines with the female pursuit for sexuality, sex, and physiological satisfaction.
- Analyzes how fitzgerald uses complex structure to tell gatsby's story or failure of american dream and moral and virtue decay through the most balanced and honest character, nick.
- Analyzes how hemingway developed a prose characterized by conscientious simplicity of diction and sentence structure. the conversation between the count, jake, and brett is an example of what the audience can interpret.
- Analyzes how fitzgerald and hemingway's the great gatsby and the sun also rises portray american failure and pursue its ideals after the end of world war i.
2099 wordsRead More - Kate Chopin And American Literary Realismanalytical essayAmerican Literary Realism has been bringing the social issues that had previously been dressed up and hidden by Romanticism into the spotlight since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During this time of upheaval and change, realist writers were able to use their own experiences with suffering and misfortune to try and change society's perception of the problems the country was facing. The goal of realist writing was to express the way the world worked in a brutally honest way in an attempt to spark change. More specifically, two authors named Kate Chopin and Paul Laurence Dunbar both faced many trials and tribulations that they were able to incorporate into their passages in order to open the minds of their readers to new ideas and ways of living. With social issues like slavery, The Civil War, industrialization, reconstruction, and American "equality", realist writers led the realist movement by revealing the struggles and hardships of ordinary people. By implementing American regionalism, realistic points of view, and smiling/grim naturalism into their stories or poems the writers were able to enlighten the public on important topics of that time period, no matter how graphic or unpleasant.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how american literary realism brought social issues that had previously been hidden by romanticism into the spotlight since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- Analyzes how the characters in "the story of an hour" and "douglass" share courageous and unconventional qualities that make them heroic and admirable.
- Analyzes how paul laurence dunbar, one of the first major african american poets in america, wrote about the hypocrisy and deception that blacks used to cope with their appalling circumstances.
- Analyzes how dunbar refers to the death of truth in "the story of an hour" and "we wear the mask."
- Analyzes how freedom appeals to the speakers in the readings, such as mrs. mallard in "the story of an hour" and kate chopin in dunbar's "douglass"
- Explains how literary realism was influential when the united states was in turmoil and was being torn apart by society's unwillingness to know the truth of what was happening to the least fortunate.
1379 wordsRead More - Zora Neale Hurston The Gilded Six Bits Analysisanalytical essayThe early 1900s in the United States saw a continued polarization of class and race. While The Industrial Revolution had created opportunity for many, and extreme wealth for a privileged few, this prosperity was heavily distributed among White America; the majority of Black Americans were still mired in poverty in the southern states. The abolition of slavery did not bring the equal rights and boundless opportunity for Black Americans that they had hoped for; instead it brought disillusionment and struggle. Similarly, the end of World War II saw a parallel of disillusionment begin to emerge among the youth of White America. These parallels grew into two very distinctly different American Literary genres. The one“Finding that their elders
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the early 1900s in the united states saw a continued polarization of class and race. the industrial revolution created opportunity for many, but the majority of black americans were still mired in poverty.
- Analyzes how fitzgerald's "winter dreams" epitomized the gilded age with stories that reek of what today might be called white people problems.
- Analyzes how zora neal hurston's 1933 "the gilded six bits" legitimized and humanized the heritage and culture of black americans.
- Explains that the lost generation writers and the harlem renaissance writers are two distinctly american genres springing from the same era and arriving at two very different destinations.
867 wordsRead More - American Crisis By Thomas Paineanalytical essayThe colonial period in american literature is a time where the writings that came out weren’t a lot about emotions, but about how history, and the way things were in the past. Something that seemed very important was how persuasive the people became about separating themselves from the british. People wrote not only essays, but also used speeches to help get to a larger crowd of people.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the colonial period in american literature was a time when writings were about history, and the way things were in the past.
- Analyzes how thomas paine wrote american crisis, describing how it was necessary to separate ourselves from the british, and patrick henry's speech in front of the virginia convention.
- Opines that american people needed to see how important it was to individualise themselves from great britain and become their own leaders. speeches and essays were written to allow the people to hear and understand what the government was doing and how they doing these things was wrong.
284 wordsRead More