American Literature Study Guide PDF

AMERICAN LITERATURE Evaluation Scheme Midterm Examination 30% – Part 1-2 15% – Part 3 15% CEPT Exam 5% Quizzes 20% – Quiz 1 – Quiz 2 – Quiz 3 – Quiz 4 Group Presentation 10% Class Attendance 5% Final Ex...

AMERICAN LITERATURE Evaluation Scheme Midterm Examination 30% – Part 1-2 15% – Part 3 15% CEPT Exam 5% Quizzes 20% – Quiz 1 – Quiz 2 – Quiz 3 – Quiz 4 Group Presentation 10% Class Attendance 5% Final Examination 30% – Part 1 15% – Part 2 15% Tentative Schedule Periods & Movements Course Content Week Native American Part I 9 The Colonial Period Puritanism Rationalism Part II 10 The Revolutionary and + QUIZ3 Early National Period Romanticism Part III 11-12 The Romantic Period Transcendentalism Realism Part IV 13 + QUIZ 4 The Realistic Period Modernism Part V 14-16 Harlem Renaissance The Modern Period Postmodernism THE COLONIAL PERIOD LESSON OUTLINE: Native Americans (pre – 1600) – Historical Background – Native American Literature Puritanism (1600-1800) – Historical Background – Puritan Literature Anne Bradstreet: Verses upon the burning of our house Native Americans – Historical Background Who occupied the land before European settlement and colonization? – Indigenous people (aka. Native Americans, American Indians) These people were composed of numerous distinct tribes, bands, and ethnic groups, and many of these groups survive intact today. Generally, the Native Americans lived in peace and prosper until Europeans first arrived on the shores of North America. The Europeans began to take over the land and set up farms and homes there. Native Americans lost their land due to technological inferiority and thousands of them died from European deceases. Native Americans – Literature The earliest American Literature was composed by Native Americans. Oral tradition of song and stories – Original authors unknown – Written accounts come after colonization – Include creation stories and myths Focuses on – the natural world as sacred – Importance of land and place Puritanism– Historical Background Who discovered the American Continent? New World: It is generally held that Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent in 1492. Colonial period (1600-1800) The first Settling of the English people in Jamestown, Virginia happened more than 100 years later in 1607, and in 1620, the second group came, with Mayflower dropping anchor at Plymouth harbor. It was not until 1760s, another 100 years later, when these people began to call themselves Americans, distinguishing their identity from their European ancestors Puritanism– Historical Background People – Native inhabitants: Indians – English Immigrants Puritanism– Historical Background In the 17th century, there were religious conflicts in England between the Church of England and the Puritanism. During the reign of King James I, more and more people turned to Puritan philosophy. The Puritans didn’t like the extravagant rites of the Church of England. They thought that most the churches and the priests became corrupt. They wanted a new kind of religion which was stricter. King James I, however, stated that the rites were necessary and could not be abolished. He forced everyone to follow the rites strictly and cruelly suppressed those who did not follow the church of England. Puritanism– Historical Background This religious pressure caused the Puritans to flee to America (which was then a colony of England) in the hope that they would be able to find a new land where they could practiced their religious beliefs freely. – They wanted to purify the English Church and to restore simplicity. – They wanted to live a hard and disciplined life; opposed pleasure and art. – They believed that the Bible was the revealed word of God, therefore, people should guide their daily behavior with the Bible. Puritanism– Literature Literature of the period was dominated by the Puritans and their religious influence – emphasis is on faith in one’s daily life a person’s fate is determined by God all are corrupt and need a Savior – civil authority in Bible and church – nature is revelation of God’s providence and power – Puritan work ethic—belief in hard work and simple living Puritanism– Literature The Puritan style of writing is characterized by simplicity. The style of their writing was fresh, simple and direct, the rhetoric plain and honest, words simple and spare (not fancy). Style: tight and logic structure, precise and compact expression, avoidance of rhetorical decoration, adoption of homely imagery, simplicity of diction. Form: They were good at writing history and biography. Puritanism– Literature Histories: William Bradford Poetry: Anne Bradstreet and Edward Taylor Sermons: Jonathan Edwards Biographies: Mary Rowlandson Generally speaking, poetry was not popular in this period because writing a poem requires a lot of time and imagination. The Colonists, however, had no time for such imagination since they were busy setting the new country. Besides, Puritanism discouraged the creation of imagination and all kinds of writing that did not point to moral. Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Anne Bradstreet was the first American to publish a book of poems, the first Woman and the first Puritan in North America to publish. Anne was born and educated in England, She was the daughter of an earl's estate manager. Anne married Simon Bradstreet when she was just 16. Two years later she and her husband left Europe and moved to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her writing is characterized by the Puritan Plain Style (short words, direct statements, and references to ordinary, everyday objects and events). Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Anne Bradstreet based "Verses Upon the Burning of our House" on a true experience: the Bradstreets' home did actually burn down. The poem reveals emotional conflict that the poet has felt about losing her home in a fire. Background: Although the Puritans were industrious and often acquired material goods (the Bradstreets lost eight hundred books in this fire), they considered it sinful to place too much value on personal possessions. Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Lines 1-6: What’s happening? What happens to the poet’s house? Does she expect anything terrible to happen? Lines 7-20: How does the speaker react when she knows what is happening? When she knows what happens, how does she react? What does she ask God for? What does she do when she can no look at her burning house? Does she blame God for what is happening? Why or why not? Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Lines 21-36: How does the speaker feel after the fire? How does the poet feel about the catastrophe at first? Point out the lines to support your answer. Lines 37-54 Does the poet ends up in self-pity? What are the reasons the poet gives to comfort herself? What is the “house on high erect” described in line 43-44? Who is the “mighty architect” in line 44? Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Lines 37-54 Does the poet ends up in self-pity? What are the reasons the poet gives to comfort herself? What is the “house on high erect” described in line 43-44? Who is the “mighty architect” in line 44? Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Part I (Lines 1-6): What’s happening? It is a quiet night. The speaker is sleeping peacefully, never expecting anything bad to happen. Then, suddenly she wakes to the sound of loud noises and screams of “Fire!” She wishes no one would have to hear such a voice. Part II (Lines 7-20): How does the speaker react when she knows what is happening? She sits up and sees the light of the fire. She cries out to God, asking him to give her strength and not to leave her without help or comfort. Outside, She watches her house burn down. When she cannot stand the sight any longer, she blesses God, who both gives her a house and takes it back. It is fair because it all belongs to God, not her. She should not complain. God has the right to take everything away, leaving her only what is needed. Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Part III (Lines 21-36): How does the speaker feel after the fire? She often walks by her ruined house and looks at the familiar spots—where she sat, where a trunk or a chest stood, where her favorite possessions lay. All these fine things are burned to ashes, and she will never see them again. No guest will sit under her roof or eat at her table again. No one will tell stories or talk about old times. No candle will shine in her windows, and no bridegroom’s voice will be heard. The house will lie in silence forever. The speaker says goodbye to her house and possessions. Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House Part IV (Lines 36-54): How does the speaker comfort herself? She begins to scold herself: Was her treasure here on earth? Did she fix her hopes on things that turn to dust? Did she trust in the human ability instead of God? She then commands herself to raise her thoughts higher so the mists that cloud her thinking will fly away. She has a house that stands high above, built by God and filled with glory. That house lasts forever, though the one on earth is gone. That house is bought by God with his life, a price higher than anyone can know, and yet he gives it to her as a gift. That’s all the wealth she need. She says goodbye to her earthly belongings. she will no longer love things of this world; her hope and treasure are in heaven Anne Bradstreet: Verses Upon the Burning of our House How does this poem reveal about the Puritan values and attitudes? This poem reflects the religious belief of the Puritans. The poets says that we should not think that the wealth and properties are important because they are actually nothing. Those wealth and properties cannot be compared to what God has prepared for us. Although we don’t have any houses on earth, we still have another house waiting for us in heaven where we can live close to God forever.