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American literature after 1945
Southern gothic essays
Southern gothic essays
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After World War II, as a result of changing values and attitudes, American literature witnessed a new movement that countered modernism: the postmodernism movement. Postmodernism is characterized by a rejection of previous literary themes and techniques. Specifically, postmodernism rejects straightforward meanings in favor of interpretation in which there are various meanings or no meaning at all. Literature of this time completes defies the boundaries defined in previous literary movements such as incorporating multiple different genres and types of literature. Charles Frazier’s novel, Nightwoods, is one literary work produced during this movement. Frazier’s use of combined styles and genres of literature and unique literary structure distinguishes …show more content…
Throughout the novel, Frazier incorporates elements of naturalism in which the environment shapes the characters lives. Specifically, Luce, Dolores, and Frank immerse themselves in the natural life that surrounds them as a way of escaping their hardships. For example, when Dolores and Frank move to the lodge, they soak of the nature around them and begin to explore the forest around them in a means to forget the atrocities they have witnessed. When Bud returns and brings up bad memories, they turn towards nature to protect them: “[Dolores and Frank’s] only idea about here to go is farther away from people, deeper into the mountains [...]” (Frazier 208). In addition, Luce uses her knowledge about her natural surroundings to connect with the children and ultimately helps them escape their haunting past. Moreover, Charles Frazier combines this naturalistic style with Southern gothic genre and historical fiction. The presence of dark, disturbing thoughts among the characters, specifically Bud, along with the themes of religion and patriarchy, characterize Nightwoods as Southern gothic. He also incorporates accurate depictions of Appalachian culture and society during the 1960s through the development of the characters and incorporation of accurate historical details, such as the music and shows played on the radio. Charles Frazier’s blending of various genres and literature styles creates a distinct voice and interpretation in the novel defining it as a postmodern literary
Author: Walter Benn Michaels is the chair of the Department of English at the University of Illinois at Chicago teaching literary theory, and American literature. Michaels has also has multiple essays and books published such as Against Theory, The shape of the Signifier, and Diversity's False Solace
Updike, John. "A&P." Thinking and Writing About Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001. 981-86. Print.
Adaption is the key to all survival and always has been. In both Sold by Patricia McCormick and Night by Elie Wiesel two young children navigate their way through hard times for the best chance of survival. By examining the novels Night and Sold we can see adaption is the key to survival which is important because those who do not change the old ways they were taught will not make it through challenging times.
An artwork will consist of different elements that artists bring together to create different forms of art from paintings, sculptures, movies and more. These elements make up what a viewer sees and to help them understand. In the painting Twilight in the Wilderness created by Frederic Edwin Church in 1860 on page 106, a landscape depicting a sun setting behind rows of mountains is seen. In this painting, Church used specific elements to draw the viewer’s attention directly to the middle of the painting that consisted of the sun. Church primarily uses contrast to attract attention, but it is the different aspects of contrast that he uses that makes the painting come together. In Twilight in the Wilderness, Church uses color, rhythm, and focal
Abcarian, Richard, Marvin Klotz, and Samuel Cohen. Literature: the Human Experience. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. Print.
The 1960’s, a decade of extreme rebellion, change, and civil unrest. The Vietnam War, a war no one wanted to have or be a part of. This was a time of change for America and Tim O’Brien was right in the middle of it. “Someone writing about leaving one's country, and the horrors of that: the dislocations, the lingering sense of moral failure, or moral rectitude, which can also haunt you,” O’Brien was a one of the many writers of the Postmodernist movement (O’Brien 31). Postmodernism started after the end of World War II and continues to our present day (Postmodernism 1). It was a movement of skepticism and truly seeing reality for what it is in our world. If there were new breakthroughs in science or social life writers would question its origin and if it was really there (Postmodernism 2-3). When adding these accounts together, Tim O’Brien’s mind was molded into the dark sided, realistic approach on life during the Vietnam War.
The Modernist Fiction period took place during the 1920’s and revolutionized the American way of life in literature, economically, and socially. There was a national vision of upward mobility during this time that represented the American Dream. The upward mobility was seen through the consumerism and materialism that dominated this decade economically. Popular novels of this time reflected the mass consumerism in the lives of those wrote them. During the American Modernist Fiction period, Americans became increasingly materialistic throughout the roaring twenties; therefore, the American Dream was to obtain upper class status through the possession of material goods, which was reflected in many of this period’s works.
The 1920s was seen as a turning point in American history in terms of literature, art, and music. Also known as the Jazz Age, the era brought new highly visible social and cultural trends. My research question asks not only how did the writers reflect their views, but how the historical context of that time period affected the minds of the intellectuals. I am interested in this topic because I wanted to investigate the reasoning behind modern literature, and arguably the first real American style, leaving behind the romantic 19th century British influenced writing and conservatism.
Each author sets a gothic tone first and foremost by the techniques used to describe setting and characters. Irving and Hawthorne set their stories in ghostly mysterious forests. Each author uses phenomenal to truly connect the reader with the stories. Hawthorne’s use of similes to tie in what the forest was like gives a sense of letting the readers feel like they are there with young goodman Brown, “ . . . surrounded by four blazing pines, their tops aflame, their stems
Perkins, Geroge, and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition in Literature. 12th ed. Vol. 2. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009. Print
“American Crisis.” The American Tradition in Literature, 12th ed. New York: McGraw Hill 2009. Print
As the world around Americans changed, so did the characteristics of literature. For the first time in literary history, writers began to shun artificiality of society and seek nature as a refuge. Feelings and intuition began to override reason. Inspiration was found in myth, legend, and culture. Faith was put in inner experience and power of the imagination. Innocence was preferred over sophistication. Individual freedom and the individual were the utmost important. Nature’s beauty was a path to spiritual and moral development. Most stories were set in exotic locales, supernatural realms, and the inner world of imagination (Arpin 144). For the first time, ordinary and outcasts were glorified. Not only d...
Simmons, Philip E. Deep Surfaces: Mass Culture and History in Postmodern American Fiction. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1997.
Abcarian, Richard, Marvin Klotz, and Samuel Cohen. Literature: the Human Experience. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2010. Print.
“A Tale Intended to be After the Fact…” is how Stephan Crane introduced his harrowing story, “The Open Boat,” but this statement also shows that history influences American Literature. Throughout history, there has been a connection among literary works from different periods. The connection is that History, current events, and social events have influenced American Literature. Authors, their literary works, and the specific writing styles; are affected and influenced by the world around them. Authors have long used experiences they have lived through and/or taken out of history to help shape and express in their works. Writing styles are also affected by the current trends and opinions of the period they represent. By reading American Literature, we have seen the inhumane treatment of slaves, we have seen the destruction caused by wars, and we have seen the devastation of eras such as The Great Depression.