15 Questions
What was the primary focus of John Winthrop's A Modell of Christian Charitie?
Providing a theological framework for Christian charity
Which of the following writers is known for her poetry collection titled Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral?
Phillis Wheatley
What was the primary purpose of William Bradford's The History of Plymouth Plantation?
To narrate the history of the Plymouth Plantation
What is the title of Samuel Sewall's literary work that spans the period from 1673 to 1730?
Diary
What is the title of Jonathan Edwards' sermon that is known for its vivid imagery and rhetorical power?
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
During which period did the literary movement of Transcendentalism emerge in American literature?
1840s-1860s
Which American writer is known for his short story 'Rip Van Winkle'?
Washington Irving
What was the primary theme of the literary movement known as American Romanticism?
Celebration of individualism and the human experience
Which of the following authors is associated with the Hudson River School of art?
Thomas Cole
What was the primary focus of Frederick Douglass' literary work, 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave'?
Slavery and freedom
What was the primary literary movement in the late 1800s to early 1900s that emphasized the harsh realities of life?
Naturalism
Which of the following authors is known for their novel 'The Awakening', which explores themes of feminism and individuality?
Kate Chopin
What was the primary literary movement of the 1920s that emphasized the disillusionment of the post-World War I era?
The Lost Generation
Which of the following authors is known for their novel 'Native Son', which explores themes of racism and social injustice?
Richard Wright
What was the primary literary movement of the late 20th century that emphasized the diversity of American experiences?
Multiethnic American Literature
Study Notes
The Colonial Age (1607-1765)
Historical Context
- English colonies established in North America during this period
Literary Works
-
Poetry
- Anne Bradstreet's "Several Poems Compiled with a Great Variety of Wit and Learning, Full of Delight" (1678)
- Phillis Wheatley's "Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral" (1773)
-
Historical Narratives and Chronicles
- John Smith's "A Description of New England" (1616)
- William Bradford's "The History of Plymouth Plantation" (1630-1651)
-
Biographies, Autobiographies, and Diaries
- Samuel Sewall's "Diary" (1673-1679, 1685-1730)
- Sarah Kemble Knight's "The Journal of Madam Knight" (1704, published in 1825)
-
Theological Works and Sermons
- John Winthrop's "A Modell of Christian Charitie" (1629)
- Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" (1741) and "The Doctrine of Original Sin Defended" (1758)
The Colonial Age (1607-1765)
- Historical context: English colonies, Puritan culture, and early American writings
- Notable poets: Anne Bradstreet (Several Poems, 1678), Phillis Wheatley (Poems on Various Subjects, 1773)
- Historical narratives and chronicles: John Smith (A Description of New England, 1616), William Bradford (The History of Plymouth Plantation, 1630-1651)
- Biographies, autobiographies, and diaries: Samuel Sewall (Diary, 1673-1679, 1685-1730), Sarah Kemble Knight (The Journal of Madam Knight, 1704)
- Theological works and sermons: John Winthrop (A Modell of Christian Charitie, 1629), Jonathan Edwards (Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, 1741)
Toward a National Literature (1765-1865)
- Historical context: Revolutionary Period (1750-1800) and the New Republic
- American Romanticism: Washington Irving (A History of New York, 1809; The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, 1819-1820)
- Transcendentalism: Ralph Waldo Emerson (Nature, 1836; "Self-Reliance" in Essays: First Series, 1841), Henry David Thoreau (Walden; or Life in the Woods, 1854; "Civil Disobedience", 1849)
- Influences on Art: the Hudson River School, Pastoralism in America
- American Renaissance: Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter, 1850; The House of the Seven Gables, 1851)
- Black Voices: Slavery and Freedom - Frederick Douglass (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 1845), William Wells Brown (Clotel; or, The President's Daughter, 1853), Sojourner Truth (The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, 1850)
The Age of Realism (1865-1915)
- Historical context
- Realism and Regionalist fiction: Mark Twain (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1876; Life on the Mississippi, 1883; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1884), Kate Chopin (The Awakening, 1899), Joel Chandler Harris (Uncle Remus, 1881)
- Naturalism: Stephen Crane (Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, 1893; The Red Badge of Courage, 1895), Theodore Dreiser (Sister Carrie, 1900), Frank Norris (The Octopus, 1901)
The 20th Century (1915-1945)
- Historical context: The Interwar Period
- Modernism: The Lost Generation (1920s) - Francis Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby, 1925)
- Social Awareness (1930s): John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men, 1937; The Grapes of Wrath, 1939)
- Southern Literature: William Faulkner (Absalom, Absalom!, 1936)
- Harlem Renaissance (1920s): Langston Hughes (The Weary Blues, 1926; Montage of a Dream Deferred, 1951)
The 20th Century After WWII
- Historical context
- From Modernism to Postmodernism
- The Beat Generation (1950s): Jack Kerouac (On the Road, 1957), Allen Ginsberg (Howl and Other Poems, 1956)
- Southern Literature: Flannery O'Connor (Wise Blood, 1952)
- Jewish American Literature: Philip Roth (Portnoy's Complaint, 1969)
- Protest movement literature (1940-1959): Richard Wright (Native Son, 1940)
The 20th and 21st Centuries: The Rise of Multicultural Literature
- Historical context: Pluralism
- Multiethnic American Literature and Immigrant Fiction
- European American Literature: John Fante (The Road to Los Angeles, 1935)
- Native American Literature: N. Scott Momaday (House Made of Dawn, 1968)
- African American Literature: Toni Morrison (Beloved, 1987)
Explore the historical context of English colonies and the development of American literature in the Colonial Age, featuring notable authors and works.
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