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Native American Literature
During the 15th century, American’s were home to prosperous amounts of American Indians prior to the arrival of Europeans. Within the mixture of different cultures, various amounts of histories and stories were created and influenced. What led to the coming of new cultures were the first interactions of trade between the Europeans and the American Indians. -
How the red bird got his color:
no date given
This Cherokee legend is about a wolf, a raccoon and a bird. In this legend, a raccoon pulls a trick on a wolf in the woods. The raccoon plastered the wolf’s eyes with dung (or poop) and the wolf cried for help. Along came a bird and the wolf promised to show him red paint if he pecked the dung off his eyes. The bird did, and the wolf showed him a stone with red paint. This is how the bird got its name and color.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc041.htm -
Pocahontas (no specific date)
In this original story, Pocahontas’ real name was Matoaka and she was a young girl around the age of 10 or 11. She saved John Smith from being beaten to death. Pocahontas was then given the name and known for being a “good Indian”. Pocahontas was then taken as a prisoner at age 17 and was held hostage for over a year. In order to escape, she had to marry a 28 year old widow named John Rolfe. They had a child and over time Pocahontas died after being removed from a traveling ship to Virginia. -
Yellowstone valley and the great flood:
no specifc date
According to the Great Spirit, In order to survive a flood, you would have to deal with buffalo. It states if you keep the buffalo safe, you will never need to suffer. While other people came, they did not understand that animals were their “brothers”, in result of this, The Great Spirit looked down and lit fires and floods to kill people. The others went out in search of buffalo. Instead they found buffalo skin, they stretched it all over Yellowstone valley while rains poured. -
Red Fox
no specific date
The Red Fox appears in many fables and stories and songs. The reputation the fox has is for its intelligence. This is where terms as “sly as a fox” originate from. This fox appears many times in North America and are defensive and dominant.
http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/images/wildlife/fox_gl.jpg -
The Origin Of Fire:
no specific date
A fox was the most clever of animals and attempted to think of a way to create fire. He cried for help to geese and they promised to teach him if he would fly with them. One night, the fox’s wings collapsed and he landed in the firefly village and found the coloured earth in which he painted himself white. He then created fire with the fireflies, and soon stole their fire as he flied over the earth.
http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co02242001/CO_02242001_Fire.htm -
Puritanism
Puritanism is believed to have helped the success of capitalism in the New World. Puritanism is mainly based on the moral and religious beliefs of the American character. Puritans would practice their actions of good and evil through these writings. Religous thoughts and political thinking of America overtime are what shaped Puritanism.
faculty.cbhs.org/skelly/puritans.htm -
Enlightenment
During this time, Enlightenment literature was shown in the middle ages in a different way. People during this time believed in the advances of science's and the progress of humankind and due to this sort of thinking, the church was distanced from the people. In effect to this were enlightenment writings that expressed a spiritual, political, sort of faith. People such as Jean Jaques Rousseau, Francis Bacon, and Isaac Newton were known as the founders of Enlightenment literature. -
Gothic Fiction
Gothic Fiction stories originated in Europe around the 18th century express horror /fear and romance /love combined. Many of these stories take place in a sort of medieval time, place, or era and the romances portrayed are pleasurable and dark to the audience. This genre often seems to take an emotional effect on people more than anything else, which is considered a form of Romanticism. Gothic fiction inspired authors like Edgar Allen Poe -
The Autobiography- Benjamin Franklin
Describes the life story of Benjamin Franklin. This story is divided into four parts that express different time periods of when he wrote his story. This story remains unfinished. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Autobiography_of_Benjamin_Franklin -
The Crisis, Number 2- Thomas Paine
Number 2 was one of many 16 total pamphlets published. Overall, these pamphlets described the times of when colonists of the American Revolution needed inspiration for writing. Paine’s writings appealed to English War people and settled issues of war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Crisis -
Common Sense- Thomas Paine
His speech spoke to the people of America but specifically challenged the British Government and the high class. Paine was the first person to directly ask for independence from great Britain. http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/ -
Declaration of Independence- Thomas Jefferson
This document expresses the colonists’ right to go against the British Government, support that all men are created equal, and the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness matter as well. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html -
Power of Sympathy- William Hill Brown
This document tells the struggles, dangers, and consequences of giving into one’s own desires. It also explains the rights of women and ways to survive and prevent dangerous consequences. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Sympathy -
Romanticism
During the 18th century, this type of literature was influenced by artistic, intellectual thinking.
It was an effect of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and was a sort of revolt against the ideas of The Enlightenment era. Writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne expressed the intellection and arts on history and politics. One of the reasons why Romanticism emerged was for the people in need of an escape from politics and reality. -
Frankenstein- Mary Shelley
Captain Robert finds out how to make human corpses come to life after studying chemistry and alchemy. He is terrified by his creation. Conflicts are caused because of the monster. http://www.shmoop.com/frankenstein/summary.html -
The Devil and Tom Walker- Washington Irving
Irving uses allegorical symbols and literary devices to tell his story. The theme this story portrays is greed and supernatural. http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-devil-and-tom-walker-by-washington-irving-summary-and-analysis.html -
Dreams-Edgar Allan Poe
This poem has interprets his dreams from his real life. What seems is that the speaker is explaining how he loves reality but dreams seem to haunt him. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/dreams-3/ -
The American Scholar- Ralph Waldo Emerson
This speech was a mixture of romantic and transcendentalism together to express a true american's relationship with nature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Scholar -
Transcendentalism
Developed in the late 1800's in the Eastern portion of the United States, it was considered a philosophical movement to protest against society and was mostly inspired by John Locke's belief of one’s own ideas. Transcendentalism authors specifically believed religious and political groups corrupted the everyday lives of people and expressed that one should\ be independent and commit to themselves. -
The Deer slayer- James Fenimore Cooper
Story is about a deerslayer and a friend whom meet at a lake to plan a rescue for a Delaware girl who has been adbucted by Indians. This plan is the deerslayers test of manhood. http://www.enotes.com/deerslayer -
New England Reformers- Ralph Waldo Emerson
In this writing, Emerson continues to express the value of an individual, specifically after the revolutions. Ones self should not be feared but embraced.
http://www.emersoncentral.com/newengland.htm -
The Raven- Edgar Allan Poe
A man who just lost his love discovers a Raven and it speaks to him. The only word the Raven speaks is “nevermore”, the speaker then loses his mind. http://www.shmoop.com/the-raven/summary.html -
Concord Hymn- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson uses this song or poem to first express the revolution between England. He brings this up and uses it to support his beliefs in the individual and independence. http://www.helium.com/items/1104656-understanding-the-concord-hymn-by-ralph-waldo-emerson -
Annabel Lee- Edgar Allan Poe
This poem is a memory of the author’s love who he lost. They lived in a kingdom by the sea surrounded by angels, the speaker claims the angels fell in love with her and took Annabel from him. He blames the angels for Annabel’s death. http://www.shmoop.com/annabel-lee/summary.html -
The Blithedale Romance- Nathaniel Hawthorne
The main character goes on an adventure to escape his lifestyle and discover a new one. He then creates relationships and bonds with different people and then the narrator switches and tells another story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blithedale_Romance -
Walden- Henry David Thoreau
This story explains Thoreau’s experiences in two years that he was living in a cabin. This is to help him emerge into “nature” understandings and to live self-sufficiently http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walden -
Realism
Begun in the 19th century and focused on depicting society and modern life during the time of the Civil War (specifically middle class life). Realism moved towards depicting everyday experiences and actions rather than creating romantic writings. What affected the rise of realism were scientific thinking and the influence of transcendentalism. This form of literature was most popular in the Midwest and South. Famous Authors of Realism include Mark Twain, E.W Howe, and Henry James. -
Alices Adventures In Wonderland- Lewis Carroll
Tells the popular story of when Alice fell down the rabbit hole into a fantasy land. It explains her adventures and interactions with different objects, characters, and settings.
http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/files/2012/05/AliceWonderland2.1.jpg -
The Luck Of Roaring Camp- Bret Harte
The mother of a baby boy's death affects a group of men at “Roaring Camp” its up to them to raise the boy. They believe the boy is a good luck charm and the men re shape their lives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Luck_of_Roaring_Camp -
The Red Badge Of Courage- Stephen Crane
This novel takes place during the Civil War and is about a solider who flees from an Army. This novel is known for its repeating imagery and separating traditional war stories from narrative stories.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Badge_of_Courage -
Naturalism
Was developed as a philosophy which refers to the laws of nature that applies to the history and beliefs of the universe. In relating to the literature, naturalism writings apply to the environment that shapes us human beings. Naturalism took over Realism because naturalist stories focused more on evolution and science and they were just an extension to realism. Charles Darwin’s “Theory of Evolution” was what influenced stories to emphasize ideas of human development. -
Nana- Emile Zola
This novel is about a woman who has no fashion sense, but has a sort of sexual talent on stage. Her reputation spreads and she experiences many conflicts with people and herself. At the end of the story, she disappears, and she is found at a hotel, dead, from smallpox.
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/nana.html -
The Prince and the Pauper- Mark Twain
This was Twain's first historical fiction book that tells of two boys with exact same appearance but have different lives. One has an abusive father, and the other is a prince.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince_and_the_Pauper -
The portrait of a lady- Henry James
Story of a young american woman who discovers her destiny is of wealth and becomes a victim of emigrants. This symbolizes James' interests between the Old and New World.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Portrait_of_a_Lady -
Life On the Mississippi – Mark Twain
Stories about Twain's life as a steamboat pilot. It explains the history of the mississippi river and then continues into Twain's adventure from St Louis to New Orleans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_the_Mississippi -
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- Mark Twain
One of Twain's greatest stories. Its about Huck (first person) telling his adventures with Jim, a friend. This book is known for giving wonderful and colorful descriptions of settings, characters, and conflicts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn -
Dracula- Bram Stoker
Story is about an English lawyer who is traveling to Castle Dracula which is a destination feared by many people. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/dracula.html -
The Monster and Other Stories- Stephen Crane
This fiction novel takes place in a made up town in New York. Henry ( a character) is judged and viewed as a “monster” which leads him to execution of his town.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monster_(novella) -
The Octopus- Frank Norris
This story explains the expansion of wheat and conflicts between farmers and railroad companies. The idea that wheat and railroads over anyone is greatly expressed and depicted. This is one of the trilogies that Norris had wrote.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Octopus:_A_Story_of_California -
The Land Of Little Rain- Mary Hunter Austin
Lyrical Essays are all throughout this novel to tell about the lives of the American's in the Southwest. Short depictions such as “Shoshone Land”, “Water trails of the ceriso” and “the land of the little rain” help describe the settings and lives of the people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Land_of_Little_Rain -
The Gift of Magi- O. Henry
A story about a young couple who struggles with poverty. During christmas time, they both want to purchase each other a gift, and they go through different struggles to get the gifts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gift_of_the_Magi -
In a Station Of The Metro- Erza Pound
This poem takes place in a metro station in Paris. He describes the people as “equations” rather than individuals. It only contains 14 words but depicts colorful imagery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_a_Station_of_the_Metro -
Imagism
Imagism was developed by Erza Pound around the 20th century and is often expressed through poems. They clearly depicted images and sharp language while making a poetic statement and they focus more on classical values of nature and willingness. Woman writers throughout London were also major figures in literature movements and imagists such as T.E Hulme successfully expressed imagism due to his opposing views of romantic or Victorian poetry -
Balcony Stories- Grace King
Stories from when King's mother would tell her when she was younger. King's retelling is a heartwarming memory. The stories took place during the civil war.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/kingbalc/king.html -
The Garden- Hilda Doolittle
In each stanza, a type of rose or garden is explained. The tone changes from descriptive to relaxing and a sort of meditation
http://www.enotes.com/garden-h-d-salem/garden-h-d -
Harlem Renaissance
Came from African American Culture and was the most influential movement in literature and art. It made the Negro create and express themselves and their culture with writing and re-defined American literature. Black migration combined with American society during the 1920’s and contributed specific styles in their writings. -
Great Gatsby-F. Scott Fitzgerald
Is about Nick whom graduates from Yale and is finished fighting World War 1, takes a job in new york and moves next door to Gatsby, who is wealthy. Gatbsy is attempting to get the attention of Nick's cousin but she is married.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby -
The Wasteland- T.S Eliot
this poem is very famous for distributing changes from the location, speaker, place, time and putting them together to relate to culture and literature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land -
Cane- Jean Toomer
focuses on the experiences of African Americans in the United States during the Harlem Renaissance. The vignette's are a group who develops throughout the plot. The way this novel was written is what has inspired generations of authors of African American history to come. |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_(novel) -
Quicksand- Nella Larsen
A story of which a young girl who is from different races and she is unable to feel comfortable in her home after her parents abandoned her. She sets off to different communities and see's all the racial problems in different cities. Crane then gets married to a black man whom she wishes to leave but never does.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nella_Larsen#Quicksand -
Not Without Laughter- Langston Hughes
This story was published to portray and develop a life of the african american rather than having a plot. It specifically focuses on the life of a boy named Sandy and how he attempts to be a good person and inspire people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Without_Laughter -
Their Eyes Were Watching God- Zora Neale Hurston
This novel is about a teenage girl who lives between central and southern Florida. She goes through racial rejections and difficulties. Today it is popular for african american and woman's literature.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Their_Eyes_Were_Watching_God -
Contemporary
Contemporary writings came after World War 2 or from the years of 1960- Present. These types of writings can be categorized into many different genres, ideas, and history. Contemporary also has sub genres of literature which are more modern. Books we see today like “Looking for Alaska” or “A Child Called It” can be categorized as the time of contemporary writings. -
Modernism
Modernism developed within the middle of the 20th century and was marked by the traditional ways of interacting with the world. It also is combined up of viewing one’s conscious and focuses on the decline and growth of an individual rather than focusing on the science or nature of a person. Modernism also includes a sort of artistic view and was known as differentiating the “high” and “low” types of art forms. -
Go Ask Alice- Anonymous
A story about a teenage girl who struggled with drug use and sexual experiences. It is in a diary like form and the protagonist remains anonymous.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/Goaskalicsedfs.jpg/200px-Goaskalicsedfs.jpg -
Flowers in the Attic- Virginia C. Andrews
Story about four relatives locked in a room in a two story house after the passing of their parents. The only way they can escape is when their grandfather passes but years go by and they are still trapped. http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-flowers-in-the-attic/ -
Necropolis- Basil Copper
Story’s setting is in England (Victorian Style) and a private investigator is hired to investigate a woman’s father’s death. The father’s death leads the investigator to an eerie home which reveals the death of the father and other conspiracies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necropolis_(1980_novel) -
Regionalism
Realism and Regionalism are very alike because they both expressed lives of the middle class during the Civil War. Except in Regionalism, they eliminated partial acts of the people’s lives. Regionalism also only focuses on specific and distinctive traits of characters, settings, dialect, and histories, doing so helps the reader understand the thoughts and hardships of the story as a whole. -
Crank- Ellen Hopkins
Hopkins explains her daughters struggle with drug use, sexual relations, and closely relates to her daughters addiction to crystal meth. “Crank” is also known as the “monster” in the story. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Crank(hopkins).jpg/200px-Crank(hopkins).jpg -
The Stolen Child- Keith Donohue
A young boy gets kidnapped by fairly like creatures and is living in the foerest. He is threatened by the community that he cannot leave this life for his new life. The creatures re name him and he will be a young boy forever. http://www.michaeljwindsordesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/15-Stolen-Child-670x1023.jpg
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