Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who is known for importing the postmodern condition into poetry?
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?
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?
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?
What is the title of Don DeLillo's epic novel published in 1997?
What is the main characteristic of a tragedy?
What is the main characteristic of a tragedy?
What is the name of Alice Walker's novel published in 1982?
What is the name of Alice Walker's novel published in 1982?
What is the term for a flaw or weakness that leads to the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy?
What is the term for a flaw or weakness that leads to the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy?
What is the term used to describe writers like Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe?
What is the term used to describe writers like Truman Capote and Tom Wolfe?
What is the symbolic meaning of heat and fire in the context of The Crucible?
What is the symbolic meaning of heat and fire in the context of The Crucible?
What is the contrast between Abigail and Elizabeth's relationships with John Proctor?
What is the contrast between Abigail and Elizabeth's relationships with John Proctor?
What does Judge Danforth mean by 'We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment'?
What does Judge Danforth mean by 'We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment'?
What is the metaphorical significance of the crucible in the play?
What is the metaphorical significance of the crucible in the play?
What happens to characters in the play as a result of the trials and pressures they face?
What happens to characters in the play as a result of the trials and pressures they face?
What is the atmosphere of the court scenes in the play?
What is the atmosphere of the court scenes in the play?
What is the implication of the crucible metaphor in the play?
What is the implication of the crucible metaphor in the play?
What is the significance of John Proctor's decision to resist his feelings for Abigail?
What is the significance of John Proctor's decision to resist his feelings for Abigail?
What was the fear during the Cold War that led to a 'witch-hunt'?
What was the fear during the Cold War that led to a 'witch-hunt'?
What happened to many innocent people during the 'witch-hunt'?
What happened to many innocent people during the 'witch-hunt'?
What is the play that Arthur Miller wrote in 1953?
What is the play that Arthur Miller wrote in 1953?
What was Miller's intention for writing 'The Crucible'?
What was Miller's intention for writing 'The Crucible'?
What motivated Miller to write 'The Crucible'?
What motivated Miller to write 'The Crucible'?
Which character's motivations best reflect Miller's views on 'witch-hunts'?
Which character's motivations best reflect Miller's views on 'witch-hunts'?
What is a characteristic shown by Proctor, the Nurse, and Giles?
What is a characteristic shown by Proctor, the Nurse, and Giles?
What was Miller disgusted by during the 1950s?
What was Miller disgusted by during the 1950s?
What is the main feature that distinguished Moby-Dick from other sperm whales?
What is the main feature that distinguished Moby-Dick from other sperm whales?
What is the name of the whale that is described in the passage?
What is the name of the whale that is described in the passage?
What is the characteristic of Moby-Dick's body that is mentioned in the passage?
What is the characteristic of Moby-Dick's body that is mentioned in the passage?
What is the reason why Moby-Dick is feared by humans?
What is the reason why Moby-Dick is feared by humans?
What is the result of Moby-Dick's attacks, according to the passage?
What is the result of Moby-Dick's attacks, according to the passage?
What is the tone of the passage when describing Moby-Dick's nature?
What is the tone of the passage when describing Moby-Dick's nature?
What is the implication of Moby-Dick's intelligent and malicious nature?
What is the implication of Moby-Dick's intelligent and malicious nature?
What is the author's purpose in describing Moby-Dick's physical appearance?
What is the author's purpose in describing Moby-Dick's physical appearance?
What is the theme of the initial conversation in the story?
What is the theme of the initial conversation in the story?
What is the tone of the speaker when talking about young writers?
What is the tone of the speaker when talking about young writers?
What is the subject of the 'dreadful poem' mentioned in the story?
What is the subject of the 'dreadful poem' mentioned in the story?
How does Bertha feel about Miss Fulton at the beginning of the story?
How does Bertha feel about Miss Fulton at the beginning of the story?
What does Bertha decide to do after Harry hands her the cigarettes?
What does Bertha decide to do after Harry hands her the cigarettes?
What is the strange feeling that Bertha experiences after Harry's conversation with Miss Fulton?
What is the strange feeling that Bertha experiences after Harry's conversation with Miss Fulton?
What does Bertha do after experiencing the strange feeling?
What does Bertha do after experiencing the strange feeling?
What is the new realization that Bertha has about her husband?
What is the new realization that Bertha has about her husband?
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.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
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.
