World Literature: Asian, European, and North American

• World Literature is made up of:
  • Asian Literature
  • North American Literature
  • European Literature
  • Latin America Literature
  • African Literature

Asian Literature

• Deeply influenced by religion and philosophy
  • Confucianism
  • Hinduism
  • Buddhism
  • Islam
• Family, duty, and honor are strongly emphasized
• Includes oral traditions, poetry, and epics
• Reflects themes of colonialism, nationalism, and resistance in modern works
• Uses symbolism and allegory to reflect moral and political issues

The Analects

• Written by Confucius
• A collection of Confucius teachings on morality
• Also contains teachings on governance, and ethics
• Confucius was a Chinese philosopher whose ideas shaped Eastern thought

The Tale of Genji

• Written by Murasaki Shikibu
• Considered the first psychological novel
• Follows the life of Prince Genji and Heian Japan courtly life
• Murasaki Shikibu was a lady-in-waiting in the imperial court and a pioneering novelist

Ramayana

• Written by Valmiki
• Is an epic about Rama’s quest to rescue his wife, Sita
• Sita is rescued from the demon king Ravana
• Valmiki is considered the "first poet" of India and composed this foundational Hindu text

Noli me Tangere

• Written by Jose Rizal
• Is a novel exposing Spanish colonial abuses in the Philippines
• It sparked nationalist movements
• Jose Rizal was a Filipino nationalist, doctor, and writer who was executed for inspiring revolution

The Tale of Kieu

• Written by Nguyen Du
• Is a tragic love story of a young woman forced into hardship
• Reflects themes of fate and social injustice
• Nguyen Du was a Vietnamese poet known for his mastery of classical Chinese and Vietnamese literature

North American Literature

• Focuses on themes of individualism, freedom, and the American Dream
• Reflects diverse voices, races, genders, and immigration experiences
• Explores capitalism, dystopia, and identity in modern works
• Has a strong influence of realism and postmodernism in contemporary literature

The Great Gatsby

• Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Is a critique of the American Dream set in the Roaring Twenties
• Follows Jay Gatsby’s tragic pursuit of love
• Fitgerald was a key writer of the Jazz Age, known for his lyrical prose

The Handmaid’s Tale

• Written by Margaret Atwood
• Is a dystopian novel about a society where women are oppressed and forced into reproductive servitude
• Atwood is a key writer of the Jazz Age, known for his lyrical prose

Like Water for Chocolate

• Written by Laura Esquivel
• Is a novel blending love, food, and magical realism in early 20th-century Mexico
• Esquivel is known for her use of magical realism and themes of passion and tradition

European Literature

• Heavily influenced by philosophy, existentialism, and social commentary
• Focuses on themes of power, fate, and human nature
• Rooted in Classical storytelling traditions
• Evolved into modernism and surrealism
• Developed epic poetry, drama, and the novel as literary forms

Hamlet

• Written by William Shakespeare
• Is a tragedy about Prince Hamlet’s revenge against his uncle for murdering his father
• Shakespeare was the most famous English playwright
• He is known for his tragedies, comedies, and sonnets

Les Misables

• Written by Victor Hugo
• It follows the life of Jean Valjean
• Explores themes of justice, redemption, and revolution
• Hugo was a Romantic writer, also famous for The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Crime and Punishment

• Written by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• Is a psychological novel about a man struggling with guilt after committing murder
• Dostoevsky is known for his deep psychological insights and existential themes

Latin American Literature

• Dominated by magical realism, blending reality with the fantastic
• Themes of colonialism, dictatorship, and social revolution are common
• Rich in folklore, mythology, and oral traditions

One Hundred Years of Solitude

• Written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Chronicles the rise and fall of the Buendía family in the mythical town of Macondo
• Garcia Marquez is a key figure of magical realism

Ficciones

• Written by Borges
• A collection of short stories blending philosophy, time, and labyrinthine narratives
• Borges is known for his intricate literary puzzles and metaphysical themes

African Literature

• Main themes are;
  • colonialism
  • post-colonial struggles
  • African identity
• Often incorporates oral storytelling traditions
• Has a strong focus on social justice, history, and resistance
• Uses mythology and folklore in modern narratives

Things Fall Apart

• Written by Chinua Achebe
• It follows Okonkwo, a proud Igbo warrior
• As colonialism disrupts his traditional society
• Achebe is a pioneer of African literature in English

Cry, the Beloved Country

• Written by Alan Paton
• Explores racial injustice and apartheid through the story of a Zulu pastor and his son
• Paton was a writer and activist against apartheid

So Long a Letter

• Written by Mariama Bâ
• Is a novel in epistolary form
• Examines the struggles of a widow in a patriarchal society
• Bâ was a feminist writer who addressed gender inequality in Africa