American Literature

Early American and Colonial Period (early 15th century)

Orally transmitted myths, legends, tales, and lyric songs of Indian culture. What period?

Christopher Columbus and Captain John Smith

Who are the two (2) famous personalities in the Literature of Exploration?

Christopher Columbus

Who was the Italian explorer funded by the Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella?

Amerigo Vespucci

an Italian explorer, navigator and popular author from the Republic of Florence for whom "America" is named.

Epistola

This was printed in 1493 which recounts Columbus’ voyages

Captain John Smith

He was the leader of the Jamestown colony. Saved by Pocahontas when he was a prisoner of the chief.

Pocahontas

She was the favorite daughter of Chief Powhatan. Her and John Smith’s marriage initiated an eight-year peace between the colonist and the Indian

Colonial Period in New England (17th century 0 1830)

This is the period sa mga Puritans. Tong Separating Puritants and Non-Separating Puritants gud.

Puritants

These people believed in Gods ultimate sovereignty in granting grace and salvation; therefore, their lives center on three important covenants: works, grace, and redemption.

Separating Puritants

This type of Puritant believed that the church of England was corrupt and that true Christians must separate themselves from it. (plymouth)

Non-Separating Puritants

This type of Puritant believed in reform but not in separation (massachusets)

The American Enlightenment (18th to 19th century)

This period is the use of mind. Focused on rationality rather than tradition. More on scientific inquiry instead on questioning religious dogma

Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine

Who were the two (2) famous authors in The American Enlightenment?

Thomas Jefferson

Wrote The Declaration of Independence. One of the founding figures of the United States, reflecting concepts such as liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness.

The Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson. This is the foundational document in American history

Thomas Paine

Wrote Common Sense. He was a revolutionary thinker and writer,

Common Sense

Written by Thomas Paine. This was a pivotal pamphlet that argued for American independence from Britain.

Romantic Period (1820 - 1860)

This period was an artistic and intellectual movement that began in Europe in the late 18th century as a reaction against the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution

Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Meville

Who are the two (2) famous authors in the Romantic Period?

Edgar Allan Poe

Wrote A tell-tale Heart. He was famous for his exploration of the macabre and contributed significantly to the development of the modern short story

A tell-tale Heart

Written by Edgan Allan Poe. A chilling short story that explored the narrator’s descent into madness murdering an old man.

Herman Melville

He wrote the Moby Dick.

Moby Dick

Written by Herman Melville. Captain Ahab is consumed by his quest to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick, which had previously maimed him. (ishmael)

Realism (20th century)

This period focused on the real issues in society and on the harsh realities of life and gives the reader a true sense of ‘local color’

Mark Twain, Stephen Crane, and Kate Chopin

Who were the three (3) famous authors in Realism?

Mark Twain

Wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He captured the complexities of American life

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Written by Mark Twain. This follows the journey of a young boy, who escapes from his troubled home life, and Jim, a runaway slave, as they travel along the Mississippi.

Stephen Crane

Wrote The Red Badge of Courage. He focused on themes like war, poverty, and human resilience.

The Red Badge of Courage

Written by Stephen Crane. This is a psychological experience warfare through Henry Fleming, a young Union soldier during the American Civil War.

Kate Chopin

Wrote The Story of an Hour. A feminist writer

The Story of an Hour

Written by Kate Chopin. Follows Louise Mallard, a woman with a heart condition, as she learns of her husband’s sudden death in a train accident.

Modernism and Experimentation (1914 - 1945)

This period focused between the two world wars dubbed as the United States ‘coming of age’

Ezra Pound and Robert Frost

Who were the two (2) famous authors in Modernism and Experimentation?

Ezra Pound

Wrote CANTO LXXXl. Best known for his clear, visual images, fresh rhythms, and muscular, intelligent, unusual lines.

CANTO LXXXI

Written by Ezra Pound. “What thou lovest well remains, the rest is dross,” emphasizes cherishing what matters most in life amidst its fleeting nature. Deceptively simple but suggest a deeper meaning.

Robert Frost

Wrote The Road Not Taken. Combines sound and sense in his frequent use of rhyme and images.

The Road Not Taken

Written by Robert Frost. A thought-provoking poem about choices and their impact on life.

Fire and Ice

Written by Robert Frost. Two possible ends of the world; fire, representing passion and desire, and ice, symbolizing hatred and indifference.

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

Written by Robert Frost. Tension between life’s responsibilities and the desire to appreciate its fleeting moments

The Affluent but Alienated (1950s)

This period saw the delayed impact of modernization and technology in everyday life left over from the 1920s (isolated from one another)

The Affluent but Alienated (1950s) (iremember ang year)

Loneliness at the top was a dominant theme. This period was a decade of subtle and pervasive stress