21st Century American and European Literature PDF

MODULE # 9 21st CENTURY AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN LITERATURE  SUBTOPIC#1 “Literature must be on analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity.” — Rebecca West  To understand t...

MODULE # 9 21st CENTURY AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN LITERATURE  SUBTOPIC#1 “Literature must be on analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity.” — Rebecca West  To understand the development and development of American and European literature;  To be familiar with the different literatures of the world  To show understanding of the different issues as depicted by the literature of the world. AmericanandCanadian deals with social issues (gender, freedom, human Literature inthe rights, (in)tolerance) contemporary age chic literature, speculative fiction and Young Adult literature are popular literatures mediated by the internet: fanfiction, and wattpad Popularity of TV series (employing techniques from literature)  Latin American literature in the contemporary age politics and the individual experimentations in form and content Popularization of the testimonio  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada In the study of 21st-Century Literature from the World, it is necessary to demarcate the regions geopolitically. This arranges and clusters the regions of the world that considers not only geographic but also social, political, demographic, and economic factors. This is best illustrated in the case of North American continent, which comprises the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. Mexico, which is part of the North American region, cannot be grouped with the North American countries when it comes to its literature because Mexican literary writings are classified among the literatures of American Indian civilizations conquered by the Spaniards. In language and form, the literature of Mexico does not rightfully belong to North American literature. In this regard, what comprise.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada North American literature are the literary outputs only from the United States of America and Canada. North America has two literary powerhouses – the United States of America and Canada, which dominate a good chunk of the world of the pen. Considering that their literatures are written in English – one of the world's most widely used languages – there is a sure readership base, as there are 1.8 billion English users worldwide. It follows that literatures written in English have a solid populace of readers because there are around 67 countries that speak and read in English. This explains why the literature of the United States and Canada have continuously enjoyed enormous patronage from different parts of the world. This accounts for the extensive scope of influence these literatures continuously wield around the world.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada It is in the literatures of North America, in particular the United States of America, that we often see innovative breakthroughs in writing. The popular genres of the 21st century have been in existence for many years, but have only resurfaced recently. Speculative fiction was first observed and coined by American fictionist Robert Heinlein who helped raise the genre's standards of literary quality. The graphic novel was also formally introduced as a comics genre by American cartoonist Will Eisner in 1964. The 1960s saw the golden age of young adult literature, in particular young adult fiction, with the publication of the coming-of-age novel The Outsiders by Susan Eloise Hinton. Another literary genre that is an American original is ―Chick Lit‖ – a fiction genre that tackles the issues of modern womanhood. It combines the term chick, an American slang for woman, and lit for literature. These literary genres did not only originate in the United States but have also been perfected in the very place they emerged.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada Today, speculative fiction, young adult literature, and chick lit dominate the best-seller lists. y also easily become movie hits when adapted to films. To name a few, Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada are among the popular paperbacks that have smashed the box office as well.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada There is also an open acknowledgement that countries in North America have proven themselves leaders in the Age of Information, especially in the exploration of digital technology in presenting literature in different realms. Eastgate Systems, a publisher and software company in Massachusetts, is the pioneer in hypertext literature. Eastgate Systems facilitates the online publication of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry through hypertext links – an interactive system in which text, graphics, and pictures can be linked to each other through a network of nodes. Another digital breakthrough microblogging – was first introduced by a student in Swarthmore College in Philadelphia. In 1994 Justin Hall started the first personal microblog when he came up with an online diary that serves 96 personal journal made accessible for public reading or consumption. Compared to a traditional blog, a microblog is different because its file size is smaller – consisted of not more than 200 characters on This diary type commentary is more known as microposts or status updates which are sent online through a microblog service provided by a social network.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada Another development in electronic literature, which is also a US original, is fan fiction. A Los Angeles computer programmer, Xing Li, created an automated fan fiction archive site in 1998, which to date has 2.2 million registered users who rework or alter the elements of original stories or a canon and post them on the Internet. Finally, there emerged Wattpad – the largest online community of readers and writers that serves as a platform for authors to publish their work, receive reviews, and connect with fellow writers and readers. This site was the result of collaboration between Canadian developers Allen Laue and Ivan Yuen. Since its debut in 2006, Wattpad has steadily gained subscribers.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada From the United States of America, Joyce Carol Oates and Alice Walker are chosen to represent the galaxy of writers of the 21st century. Both are still alive and have careers that span the not- so-distant past and the present, which attest to their reputation as enduring literary artists. More important, they have witnessed and experienced how it is to live prior to and during the 21st century, which gives them the rare privilege to trace the development of the literatures in the United States then and now. Oates's short story, "Mastiff," presents a realistic portrayal of the human response to the fear of dogs and how this trauma causes a woman to feel genuine emotion toward a man who saved her from the savage attack of a beast.  TheLiterary Powerhouses from the North American Region:United States of America and Canada Walker's essay, "The Glimpse of Life Beyond the Words: On Censorship and Freedom of Speech," explains that one's liberation from the tyranny of others begins with one's acknowledgment that such oppression exists. On the other hand, Canada is represented by the internationally acclaimed fictionist Margaret Atwood. Atwood's poem "The Door" has become a symbolic passageway to past and present where she confronts the theme of age and mortality. Using an oblique narrative in which the persona speaks to herself, the poem presents the seasons of life every time the door opens and closes.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Literature flourished in Europe in the early Greco-Roman period. This was the time when many literary pieces were born, majority of which have come down as classics still being studied and performed today. At the height of the Roman Empire, from 200 AD until the fifth century, a variety of literary forms emerged. Though mostly modeled after Greek literature, they were distinctly Roman in nature, exhibiting order and discipline. Many analysts would describe Classical Roman literature as rigid and contrived on grounds that it mimicked Greek glory, only methodized and systematized. These characteristics, however, were precisely what triggered future changes in literary explorations, especially those in the Medieval and Renaissance periods.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe The Romantic period, an artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe in the 1800s to 1850 partly in reaction to the French and American revolutions, the Napoleonic wars, and the Industrial Revolution, gave rise to writers like Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Words Coleridge and Wordsworth collaborated on a famous collection of poems, Lyrical Ballads, which was the banner literary work of England during the Romantic era. The collection espoused Romantic principles as man's communion with nature, the use of the rustic setting or landscapes in writing, and a return to the past, in particular, to the middle ages or medieval times.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe From France emerged Jean Jacques Rousseau, the father of French Romanticism, who held that man was a free-thinking being who must go back to his natural state and listen to his nature, instinct, and intuition. In Germany, Romanticism favored art that focused on national culture, especially tales. Grimm's Fairy Tales of Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm and his brother Wilhelm Carl awakened German interest in their own past. Romanticism also witnessed the emergence of female Romantic writers such as Germaine De Staël in France, and Jane Austen and Mary Shelley in England. The contributions of these women writers would, through time, drive the development of feminist thought.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) The wages of prosperity on the heels of the Industrial Revolution and the scientific and technological breakthroughs fueled the conquest of foreign territories by European nation-states notably that of Great Britain. The post- Romantic period coincided with the reign of Queen Victoria who brought the British Empire to its greatest heights. As the most powerful nation in the world then. British literature wielded much influence in the development of literature in the rest of Europe. And since the era was greatly identified with a powerful monarch, it became known as Victorian Age, and its literary writings, Victorian literature.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) Scientific discoveries left a deep impression on the literature of this age. The writings tended to come closer to daily life, which reflected practical problems and interests, as well as various reform movements like emancipation, child labor, women's rights, and equality. Victorian literature was also didactic: its poets, essayists, and novelists espoused grand ideals like truth, justice, love, and brotherhood. Although the Victorian Age was known to have produced great poets, it was also remarkable for the excellence of its prose, in particular, fiction. The novel was the leading form of literature in many countries in Europe, which became the popular preoccupation in France and Russia.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) In the 19th century until the early part of the 20th century, two prominent movements shaped and defined the short stories and the novels produced in Europe, namely, realism and naturalism. Realism as an approach in writing depicted life with fidelity and clarity. The Realistic novelist captured life and rendered it as honestly as possible. Leading proponents of literary realism in France were Honoré de Balzac, Stendhal also known as Marie-Henri Beyle, and Gustave Flaubert.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) In Russia, realism was concretely manifested not in the novel but in the drama instead. The plays of Leo Tolstoy and Anton Chekhov developed a tradition of psychological realism in Russian theater. Incidentally, these playwrights were also respectable fiction writers. In this league was the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, considered as the "Father of Modern Realistic Drama European literature Realism, however, was the major catalyst for the emergence of another literary tendency –Naturalism, defined as "extreme realism." As a writer's vision of life, Naturalism shared a pessimistic view of life, often leaning on to its dark side. As a technique, the writer vividly portrayed life with a "clinical eye," capturing every minute detail-a method that somehow obliterated the distinction between life and art. Often applied to fiction and drama, Naturalism featured characters controlled by heredity and environment. This meant that they faced inescapable forces beyond their control, Émile Zola, a leading French novelist, coined "naturalism" to refer to a work that showed the tendency.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) Between 1914 and 1945, Europe and America were swept in the Modern era (Modernism), on the back of increasing industrialization and globalization, new technology, and the horrifying events of two world wars. As a literary tendency, Modernism was a deliberate attempt to set aside the past ideals and influences to allow writers a lot of leeway for technique experimentation. Four schools of thought emerged during the Modern era namely, Imagist, Impressionistic-Symbolistic, Metaphysical, and Formalistic. Many of the proponents of these literary schools came from different parts of Europe. Ezra Pound was a British-American poet who became the touchtone for Imagism. The Impressionistic- Symbolistic were spurred by French poets such as Charles Pierre Baudelaire, Stephane Mallarme, Arthur Rimbaud, and Paul Verlaine. Metaphysical poetry, popularized by the British John Donne in 17th century, was revived by the British-American T.S. Eliot in the 20th century. The impact of Formalism would be best viewed in the encompassing influence of the literary school in a country such as Russia in the first two decades of the 20th century.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) Since this literary movement arose as an aftermath of war and revolutions, the writers' vision had become clouded with alienation and disillusionment. In the midst of commercialism and progress, they searched for the meaning of their existence. A short list of some of famous Modernist writers from Europe and the United States includes Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, Joseph Conrad, Eliot, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, E.E. Cummings, Sylvia Plath, F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Butler Yeats, Pound, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, D.H. Lawrence, and Gertrude Stein.  Literature ParExcellence: Prominent Writings in Europe Post-Romanticismto the21stCentury(1850-Present) Postmodernism arose as a reaction to Modernism. Postmodernism in literature was distinctly marked by such literary conventions as fragmentation, paradox, unreliable narrators, unrealistic and impossible plots, parody, paranoia, and other unorthodox devices that seemed to destroy the meaning of work, if any at all. All literary traditions were abandoned, such as work classifications, genres, and forms, as well as deriving the literary merit of a work through analysis of form and content. (Fleming, 2015) Aguila, A. A., Ariola, J., & Wigley, J. J. (2008). Philippine Literatures: texts, themes, approaches. Manila: UST Publishing House. Menoy, J. Z. (2016). 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. Mandaluyong: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp. Sanchez, L. J., Agustin, R. T., Cuartero, J. M., & Lizada, M. A. (2016). 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. Quezon : Vibal Publishing House. Urquiola, L., & Lacuata, M. J. (2017). Voices: 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. Quezon City: Abiva Publishing House, Inc. Uychoco, M. T. (2016). 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. Quezon: Rex Book Stre Inc.  SUB TOPIC # 2 “Poetry is an art that predates writing. It’s essentially an auditory art. A poet today has the potential to speak directly to an audience—through public readings, radio broadcasts, recordings, and the internet.“ — Dana Gioia  Identify how imagery was used to convey the meaning of the text.  Practice contextual appreciation by relating the story of the text with details from the author‘s biography.  Respond critically to the story and consequently articulate this response through writing your own poem Dana Gioia is the Poet Laureate of California. For six years he served the nation as Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. His new book, 99 Poems: New & Selected, has just been published by Graywolf Press. Gioia‘s best poems are infused with his religious struggles, but 99 Poems also includes ample evidence of Gioia‘s satirical skills. Gioia‘s poetry is most essential when he is unhappiest. His namesake oldest son died four months after being born, and a number of Gioia poems struggle with the issue of how a just God allows such a loss. The prayer poem remembers his first son, Michael Jasper, whom Gioia and his wife Mary lost in infancy. Echo of the clocktower, footstep Seducer, healer, deity or thief, in the alleyway, sweep I will see you soon enough— of the wind sifting the leaves. in the shadow of the rainfall, Jeweller of the spiderweb, connoisseur in the brief violet darkening a sunset— of autumn's opulence, blade of lightning harvesting the sky. but until then I pray watch over him as a mountain guards its covert ore Keeper of the small gate, choreographer and the harsh falcon its flightless young. of entrances and exits, midnight whisper traveling the wires. Grief, rage, and reconciliation led to the finest Echo of the clocktower, footstep religious poem of our era, one that I have seen in the alleyway, sweep overwhelm an audience. of the wind sifting the leaves. Jeweller of the spiderweb, connoisseur ―Prayer‖ adopts the rhythms of Christian of autumn’s opulence, blade of lightning harvesting the sky. prayer and the subtle changes within the repetitions of a litany. It begins with a series Keeper of the small gate, choreographer of entrances and exits, midnight of descriptions of the manifestations of an whisper traveling the wires. indescribable God. Note how Gioia moves away from the security of iambic meters—and the Latinity of his own Roman Catholic tradition—in favor of the more primal Anglo-Saxon techniques of two- Seducer, healer, deity or thief, I will see you soon enough— beat phrases, alliteration and assonance. The poem then takes a ―turn‖ at approximately the same place as the volta in a traditional sonnet Gioia continues the litany in the same rhythm, but the effort to identify God turns bitter, particularly with the closing epithet of ―thief.‖ Without telling us directly, Gioia opens up the turbulence of his in the shadow of the rainfall, internal struggle. in the brief violet darkening a sunset— After that burst of rebellion, the poem‘s tone softens again with two lyrical images that radically qualify the seeming petulance of ―I will see you soon enough‖. He closes with a chillingly powerful but until then I pray watch over him statement of faith that accepts the failure of as a mountain guards its covert ore that faith to eliminate his continuing and the harsh falcon its flightless young. heartache.  SUB TOPIC # 2 “Then the writing became so fluid that I sometimes felt as if I were writing for the sheer pleasure of telling a story, which may be the human condition that most resembles levitation..” — Gabriel Garcia Marquez  Identify how stream of consciousness was used in the text.  Understand how magic realism works in the story.  Respond critically to the story and consequently articulate this response through writing a short reaction essay. Gabriel García Márquez, (born March 6, 1927, Aracataca, Colombia—died April 17, 2014, Mexico City, Mexico), Colombian novelist and one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982, mostly for his masterpiece Cien años de soledad (1967; One Hundred Years of Solitude). He was the fourth Latin American to be so honoured, having been preceded by Chilean poets Gabriela Mistral in 1945 and Pablo Neruda in 1971 and by Guatemalan novelist Miguel Ángel Asturias in 1967. With Jorge Luis Borges, García Márquez is the best-known Latin American writer in history. In addition to his masterly approach to the novel, he was a superb crafter of short stories and an accomplished journalist. In both his shorter and longer fictions, García Márquez achieved the rare feat of being accessible to the common reader while satisfying the most demanding of sophisticated critics. ‗Eva Is Inside Her Cat‘ is one of the early works of renowned Latin American writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The story examines the search of a woman for a viable cat to which she can reincarnate herself with. As readers move forward, they are able to recognize the changes happening within the persona, the thought process and memories that continued to influence brought forward the author‘s use of elements that would later be significant in creating coherence and highlighting the realization that her objective cannot be possible. Equally, the story by Marquez also brings forward his use of magical realism as a storytelling technique to readers. By incorporating realistic elements at the beginning of the story and blurring it in the middle as the character dwells with a non-physical world, the author is able to convey this technique effectively and put forward valuable themes and symbolisms. Magic realism, chiefly Latin-American narrative strategy that is characterized by the matter-of-fact inclusion of fantastic or mythical elements into seemingly realistic fiction. Although this strategy is known in the literature of many cultures in many ages, the term magic realism is a relatively recent designation, first applied in the 1940s by Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, who recognized this characteristic in much Latin-American literature. Some scholars have posited that magic realism is a natural outcome of postcolonial writing, which must make sense of at least two separate realities—the reality of the conquerors as well as that of the conquered. Prominent among the Latin-American magic realists are the Colombian Gabriel García Márquez, the Brazilian Jorge Amado, the Argentines Jorge Luis Borges and Julio Cortazar, and the Chilean Isabel Allende. Magical realism is one of the most unique literary movements of the last century. While most commonly associated with Latin American authors, writers from all over the world have made big contributions to the genre.. Every magical realism novel is different, but there are certain things they all include, such as: Realistic setting. All magical realism novels take place in a setting in this world that‘s familiar to the reader. Magical elements. From talking objects to dead characters to telepathy, every magical realism story has fantastical elements that do not occur in our world. However, they‘re presented as normal within the novel. Limited information. Magical realism authors deliberately leave the magic in their stories unexplained in order to normalize it as much as possible and reinforce that it is part of everyday life.  Critique. Authors often use magical realism to offer an implicit critique of society, most notably politics and the elite. The genre grew in popularity in parts of the world like Latin America that were economically oppressed and exploited by Western countries. Magic realist writers used the genre to express their distaste and critique American Imperialism. Unique plot structure. Magical realism does not follow a typical narrative arc with a clear beginning, middle, and end like other literary genres. This makes for a more intense reading experience, as the reader does not know when the plot will advance or when the conflict will take place. ‗In literature, stream of consciousness is a method of narration that describes happenings in the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters. The term was initially coined by psychologist William James in his research, The Principles of Psychology. He writes: ―… it is nothing joined; it flows. A ‗river‘ or a ‗stream‘ is the metaphors by which it is most naturally described. In talking of it hereafter, let‘s call it the stream of thought, consciousness, or subjective life.‖ Another appropriate term for this device is ―interior monologue,‖ where the individual thought processes of a character, associated to his or her actions, are portrayed in the form of a monologue that addresses the character itself. Therefore, it is different from the ―dramatic monologue‖ or ―soliloquy,‖ where the speaker addresses the audience or the third person. One significant theme highlighted by Garcia Marquez in this story is the personas perception of beauty. Arguably, readers are able to see the woman‘s transformation and how it shifted from physical attributes to an appreciation of the metaphysical. Looking closely, the initial part of the story showcases the protagonist feeling a bit uneasy about her physical state and the probability that death is near. As the narrator leaves her physical body, it can be seen that she remains to be conscious offering readers insights about her perception of the things around and how she describes these in her bodiless state. Seeing this, Garcia Marquez effectively utilizes storytelling to effectively demonstrate the changes happening to the speaker. It shows what the woman is thinking during the last few moments in the natural world and the realizations in the life after. Another important lesson brought forward by Garcia Marquez in this short story is the interaction of man to the metaphysical. Here, issues related to the soul, spirit and alternate realities are discussed that puts forward the perspective of the protagonist as far as existence is considered. For her, the depiction of life goes beyond the physical world and transcends towards an environment that is devoid of time. The realization of the woman in the story demonstrates one that brings together an understanding of a deeper sense where her spirit can particularly be free of any form. This confusing, yet profound explanation of the woman of how she sees the world is evident at the end of the story. Lastly, Garcia Marquez like many other Latin American writers also utilizes the technique called magical realism. This specific literary style remains to be evident in the story and is depicted by the woman‘s interaction in the natural world and another realm which is beyond the physical (Williams 3). Seeing this, magical realism is a literary approach wherein magical elements are presented in the story. As the title provides, there clearly is a sense of mystique in the attempt of the protagonist to be reborn into a cat. It is through this objective and the apparent realization of the speaker on what transpires at the latter part of the story demonstrates the use of magical realism by Marquez in the story. Overall, Gabriel Garcia Marquez‘ ‗Eva is Insider her Cat‘ is a short story that details the journey of a woman in the physical plane to the afterlife. Though the ideas surrounding realities are blurred by Marquez storytelling and writing style, the piece remains to be a wonderful and thought provoking story that emphasizes the author‘s use of magical realism and metaphorical elements. Equally, presenting themes related to beauty and man‘s interaction with the metaphysical enable readers to recognize the bizarre and ambiguity of message the story coveys to readers and how altogether provides beauty to one of Garcia Marquez‘ early works. Gabriel Garcia Marquez | Biography, books, Nobel prize, & facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gabriel-Garcia-Marquez Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. ‗Eva is Inside Her Cat‘ Fiction EServer.org. n.d. Web. Accessed 2 June 20 The Reading Life. Eva is Inside Her Cat by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Magical Realism in a Post-Colonial Short Story. 8 Jan. 2011. Web. Accessed 2 June 2020 Stream of consciousness. (2018, January 13). Literary Devices. https://literarydevices.net/stream-of-consciousness/ Williams, Raymond. A Companion to Gabriel Garcia Marquez. US: Boydell & Brewer. 2010. Print. Magic realism | Definition, authors, & facts. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/magic- realism