American Post-War Literature
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Questions and Answers

Who is known for importing the postmodern condition into poetry?

  • Sylvia Plath
  • John Berryman
  • John Ashbery (correct)
  • Robert Lowell

    • What is the title of Maya Angelou's poetry collection published in 1971?

  • Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water for I Die (correct)
  • The Heart of a Woman
  • Gather Together in My Name
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

    • What is the main difference between a novel and a play according to Marjorie Boulton?

  • A novel is meant to be read, while a play is meant to be performed (correct)
  • A novel is fiction, while a play is non-fiction
  • A novel is long, while a play is short
  • A novel is written in prose, while a play is written in verse

    • What is the title of Don DeLillo's epic novel published in 1997?

    <p>Underworld</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of a tragedy?

    <p>The protagonist is overcome by obstacles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of Alice Walker's novel published in 1982?

    <p>The Color Purple</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for a flaw or weakness that leads to the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy?

    <p>Tragic flaw</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe writers like Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe?

    <p>New Journalists</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the symbolic meaning of heat and fire in the context of The Crucible?

    <p>Passion and intense emotions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the contrast between Abigail and Elizabeth's relationships with John Proctor?

    <p>Abigail is hot and passionate, while Elizabeth is cold and unforgiving</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Judge Danforth mean by 'We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment'?

    <p>The court is a place of intense pressure and scrutiny</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the metaphorical significance of the crucible in the play?

    <p>A process of transformation and change</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to characters in the play as a result of the trials and pressures they face?

    <p>They are permanently and physically changed</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the atmosphere of the court scenes in the play?

    <p>Tense, intense, and pressured</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the implication of the crucible metaphor in the play?

    <p>That characters are transformed by their experiences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of John Proctor's decision to resist his feelings for Abigail?

    <p>It ends their relationship</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the fear during the Cold War that led to a 'witch-hunt'?

    <p>Communism entering American political life</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happened to many innocent people during the 'witch-hunt'?

    <p>Their careers were ruined</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the play that Arthur Miller wrote in 1953?

    <p>The Crucible</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Miller's intention for writing 'The Crucible'?

    <p>To warn America of the danger of unfounded mass hysteria</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What motivated Miller to write 'The Crucible'?

    <p>Man's inhumanity to man</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which character's motivations best reflect Miller's views on 'witch-hunts'?

    <p>Giles Corey</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic shown by Proctor, the Nurse, and Giles?

    <p>A need to maintain positive virtues under pressure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Miller disgusted by during the 1950s?

    <p>The spy hysteria and its effect on people's lives</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main feature that distinguished Moby-Dick from other sperm whales?

    <p>His peculiar snow-white wrinkled forehead</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the whale that is described in the passage?

    <p>Moby-Dick</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of Moby-Dick's body that is mentioned in the passage?

    <p>It is streaked and spotted with a shrouded hue</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the reason why Moby-Dick is feared by humans?

    <p>His intelligent and malicious nature</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the result of Moby-Dick's attacks, according to the passage?

    <p>Dismembering or death</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the tone of the passage when describing Moby-Dick's nature?

    <p>Fearful and intimidated</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the implication of Moby-Dick's intelligent and malicious nature?

    <p>That he is capable of deliberate and intentional actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the author's purpose in describing Moby-Dick's physical appearance?

    <p>To highlight his unique and intimidating appearance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the theme of the initial conversation in the story?

    <p>A decorative idea for a room</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the tone of the speaker when talking about young writers?

    <p>Sarcastic and dismissive</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the subject of the 'dreadful poem' mentioned in the story?

    <p>A girl who was violated by a beggar without a nose</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Bertha feel about Miss Fulton at the beginning of the story?

    <p>She is bored by her</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Bertha decide to do after Harry hands her the cigarettes?

    <p>She decides to tell Harry about her feelings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the strange feeling that Bertha experiences after Harry's conversation with Miss Fulton?

    <p>A feeling of desire and intimacy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Bertha do after experiencing the strange feeling?

    <p>She runs over to the piano</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the new realization that Bertha has about her husband?

    <p>She realizes she loves him in a different way</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    20th-Century American Literature

    • The most significant post-war poets were Robert Lowell, John Berryman, and Sylvia Plath, who wrote about the anguish and madness of the contemporary world.
    • John Ashbery was a prominent poet who introduced postmodernism into poetry.
    • Outstanding black writers of the latter part of the 20th century included Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou.

    American Novelists

    • Novelists of the 20th century polarized between the 'new journalism' represented by Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe, and the postmodern experimentalism of John Barth and Thomas Pynchon.
    • Writers like Gore Vidal, John Updike, and Philip Roth continued the history of America in fiction.
    • Don DeLillo's novel "Underworld" (1997) is a spiritual odyssey that contributed to world literature.

    Drama

    • Drama is a three-dimensional art form that requires performance on a stage for its full effect.
    • A play is a composition in prose or verse that portrays life and character through dialogue and action.
    • There are many forms of drama, including tragedy, in which the protagonist is overcome by obstacles.

    Moby-Dick

    • Moby-Dick is a novel by Herman Melville that features a white, monstrous toothed whale.
    • The whale is described as having a peculiar, snow-white, wrinkled forehead, and a high, pyramidical white hump.
    • The whale's unwonted magnitude, remarkable hue, and deformed lower jaw instill natural terror.

    The Crucible

    • The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller that explores the concept of a crucible, where intense heat and pressure change people mentally, physically, and spiritually.
    • The play is set during the Salem witch-hunts and reflects the author's concerns about McCarthyism in the 1950s.
    • The play features a character named Abigail, who has a sense of heat and is likened to a crucible, representing the high temperatures and reactions that take place in a crucible.
    • The relationship between John and Abigail is hot and passionate, whereas the relationship between John and his wife Elizabeth is cold and distant.

    McCarthyism

    • McCarthyism was a period of exaggerated fear of Communism in the United States during the Cold War.
    • The Congress set up a committee to investigate anyone sympathetic to Communism, leading to a 'witch-hunt' based on ungrounded fears and suspicion.
    • Miller wrote The Crucible as a response to the McCarthyism, highlighting the dangers of mass hysteria and the importance of standing up for truth.

    Miscellaneous

    • A writer criticized the romanticism of young writers, saying they are too afraid to take risks and need to have the courage to face the consequences of their actions.
    • A poem about a girl who was violated by a beggar without a nose in a little wood was described as dreadful.
    • A short story featured a character named Bertha, who desired her husband for the first time in her life, and a mysterious, blind, and smiling presence that whispered to her.

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    Description

    Quiz about American poets and writers of the 20th century, including Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, John Ashbery, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and Maya Angelou.

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