American Literary Movements (11th Grade Review) PDF
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Summary
This document is a review of American literary movements suitable for 11th grade. It covers several important historical periods and movements in a concise manner, including Native American literature, to the Contemporary/Postmodernism movement.
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Covered in 10th Grade Native American(Before 1600) ative American literature, deeply rooted in N oral tradition, consists ofepic tales, creation myths, songs, and poetry passed down through generations. These stories,rich with symbolism and moral lesson...
Covered in 10th Grade Native American(Before 1600) ative American literature, deeply rooted in N oral tradition, consists ofepic tales, creation myths, songs, and poetry passed down through generations. These stories,rich with symbolism and moral lessons, oftenexplain natural phenomenaor cultural practices. Prominent figures include Black Elk, a Lakota Sioux holy man whose life and teachings were recorded inBlack Elk Speaks. (In contemporary literature, authors like Sherman Alexie (The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven), Joy Harjo, the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States (An American Sunrise), Tommy Orange (There There), and Leslie Marmon Silko (Ceremony) have revived and reinterpreted Native American traditions, exploring themes of identity, displacement, and survival.) Covered in 10th Grade Puritanism or Colonial(1620-1750) uritan literature was heavily influenced by P religious beliefsand the desire to create a 'city upon a hill,' a model of Christian living. Works from this period often focus on the spiritual journey of individuals, detailingthe challenges and triumphs of leading a pious life in the New World. William Bradford’sOf Plymouth Plantationand Anne Bradstreet’s poetry are key examples. Jonathan Edwards’ sermonSinners in the Hands of an Angry God captures the intense religious fervor of the time,warning of divine wrathand urging repentance. Covered in 10th Grade evolutionary, Age of Reason, R Enlightenment(1750-1800) his period saw therise of American T political thoughtand afocus on reason, science,andskepticism.Enlightenment writers like Thomas Paine (Common Sense) and Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard’s Almanack) used satire and wit to critique British rule and promote independence. Thomas Jefferson’sThe Declaration of Independenceembodies Enlightenment ideals, assertingthe rights of individuals to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Literature from this era reflects a growingconfidence in human reasonand a belief in progress. Covered in 11th Grade Romanticism, American Gothic(1800-1865) omanticismin America emphasizedemotion, R nature,andindividualism,rejecting the rationalism of the Enlightenment.Romanticism coincided with a period of nation-building anda growing sense of American identity distinct from European roots. For American Romantics, celebrating theunique spirit, landscape, and democratic ideals of Americabecame important. Washington Irving (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow), James Fenimore Cooper (The Last of the Mohicans), and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (poetry) were all key figures in shaping a distinctly American voice. heGothic subgenre, with its fascination T with thedark, themysterious, and the supernatural, was mastered by Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven,The Fall of the House of Usher). His works delve into thehuman psyche, exploring themes of madness, death, and the macabre. Other prominent authors and poets within this genre include Nathaniel Hawthorne, William Faulkner, and Emily Dickinson. Covered in 11th Grade Transcendentalism(1840-1860) ranscendentalism emerged as a philosophical T movement emphasizing theinherent goodness of individualsand their capacity to transcend the physical world throughself-reliance, nature,and personal intuition.It arose as a reaction againstthe rigid religious and social structures of the time. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a leading figure, articulated the movement’s core ideas in essays like "Self-Reliance" and "Nature." He advocated fortrusting one's inner voiceand findingtruth within oneselfrather than adhering to societal norms.Henry David Thoreau, influenced by Emerson, documented his experiment in simple living at Walden Pond in his bookWalden, and argued for civil disobedience in his essay "Civil Disobedience," promotingresistance to unjust laws.Margaret Fuller extended Transcendentalist ideas into the realm of social reform with her work "Woman in the Nineteenth Century," where she championed women’s rights and gender equality, making Transcendentalism a platform forbroader socialchange. Bronson Alcott, known for his innovative educational methods, and his daughter Louisa May Alcott, who incorporated Transcendentalist values into her writing, further influenced the movement. At its core, Transcendentalismrejectedsocietal institutionsand promoted areturn to nature, whereindividuals could connect with the divine and cultivate personal morality. This philosophy influenced a range of cultural and literary figures, including poet Walt Whitman, whoseLeavesof Grass celebrated individuality and theinterconnectednessof life. Transcendentalist ideals alsoplayed a role in socialjustice movements, such as abolitionism, leaving a lastingimpact on American thought and literature. Covered in 11th Grade Realism and Naturalism(1865-1914) ealismsought to depictlife as it truly was, R often focusing on theeveryday lives of ordinary people. Mark Twain’sThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finnis a quintessential example, using regional dialects and vivid descriptions of the Mississippi River to explore themes of race and identity. aturalism, an offshoot of realism, N portrayedhumans as products of their environment, shaped by forces beyond their control.Jack London’sThe Call of the Wild illustrates theharsh realitiesof war and wilderness survival. John Steinbeck'sOf Mice and Mencaptures the struggles and aspirations of ordinary people during The Great Depression, using a realistic approach to explore broader social issues. Covered in 11th Grade Modernism and The Lost Generation(1914-1945) odernism emerged as a response to the M disillusionmentof World War I, questioning traditional valuesand experimenting with new literary forms. F. Scott Fitzgerald’sThe Great Gatsby captures the decadence and despair of the Jazz Age, while Ernest Hemingway’sThe Sun Also Rises explores the aimlessness of the Lost Generation. William Faulkner’sThe Sound and the Furyand Virginia Woolf’sMrs. Dallowayare noted for their stream-of-consciousness techniques, delving deep into the minds of their characters.The Lost Generation, disillusioned by World War I, included writers like Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein, who sought meaning in a world that seemed to have lost its moral compass. Modernist literature often reflects a fragmented world, yet retains an underlying optimism about thepotential for personal and societal transformation. Covered in 11th Grade The Harlem Renaissance(1917-1937) he Harlem Renaissance was a cultural T explosion in Harlem, New York, where African American artists, musicians, and writers celebrated their heritage and explored new forms of expression. Langston Hughes, with hisjazz-influenced poetrylikeThe Weary Blues, and Zora Neale Hurston, author ofTheir Eyes Were Watching God, werecentral figures. This period coincided with the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties, an era of prosperity and excess captured in Fitzgerald’sThe Great Gatsby(though this is notconsidered HR literature.) The period engaged withsocial andpolitical change,addressing issues of civil rightsand advocatingfor social justice. Beat Generation(1950-1965) he Beats, including Jack Kerouac (On the Road), Allen T Ginsberg (Howl), and William S. Burroughs (Naked Lunch), rejected the conformity and materialism of post-war America.Their works often exploredthemes of spirituality, sexual liberation, and the search for authenticity.The Beat Generation laid the groundwork for the countercultural movements of the 1960s, influencing music, art, and literature with their embrace of nonconformity and spontaneity. Covered in 11th Grade Contemporary/Postmodernism (1950-Present) ontemporary literature, encompassing works from the C late 20th century to the present, reflects awiderange of styles, themes, and societal concerns, including identity, globalization, and social justice. It ismarked by its diversity and responsiveness tocurrent issuesand cultural shifts. ostmodernism, a specific movement within P contemporary literature that began in the mid-20th century, is known for its innovative approach to storytelling. Itchallenges traditional narrative structureswithtechniques such as irony, parody,and metafiction,and oftenexplores the fluidity of truthand reality. Tim O’Brien’sThe Things They Carriedfitswithin Postmodernism through its innovative use of metafiction, blending reality and fiction to explore memory and trauma. Its fragmented narrative highlights the effects of war. By experimenting with narrative techniques and thematic concerns, Postmodern literature captures the fragmented and oftenambiguous nature of modern existence.
