American Lit Lectures study guide

The body of literature created by Indigenous peoples of North America is known as __________.

First Nations Literature.

A group of English Puritans who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620 is referred to as the __________.

Pilgrim Fathers.

The Mayflower Compact is significant for establishing __________ in Plymouth Colony.

self-governance.

The idea of Puritans seeing their migration as a divine mission is called __________.

Errand into the Wilderness.

__________ emphasizes belief in a rational God who does not intervene in the world.

Deism.

Key figures in the American Revolution are known as the __________.

Founding Fathers.

The literary genre characterized by themes of decay, madness, and the supernatural is known as __________.

American Gothic.

The 19th-century movement emphasizing individual intuition and self-reliance is called __________.

American Transcendentalism.

A romanticized narrative of the Confederacy's motives is termed __________.

The Lost Cause.

The belief that Americans were divinely destined to expand westward is __________.

Manifest Destiny.

Realism in literature focuses on depicting __________ and ordinary people with accuracy.

everyday life.

Naturalism emphasizes the influence of __________ and heredity on human behavior.

environment.

Literature that captures the culture and traditions of specific geographic regions is known as __________.

Regionalism.

Hemingway’s writing style, where the deeper meaning is implicit, is called __________.

Iceberg Theory.

The period of cultural flourishing in the U.S. in the 1920s is known as __________.

The Jazz Age.

A poetic movement advocating for precise imagery is called __________.

Imagism.

Speculative fiction includes genres such as science fiction, fantasy, and __________.

dystopian narratives.

The rejection of grand narratives and skepticism characterize __________.

Postmodernism.

William Bradford wrote about the experiences of the Pilgrims in __________.

History of Plymouth Plantation.

In Anne Bradstreet's poem, she reflects on her home's destruction with __________ in her heart.

spiritual faith.

Thomas Paine's pamphlet advocating for American independence is titled __________.

Common Sense.

The Declaration of Independence was primarily authored by __________.

Thomas Jefferson.

Philip Freneau's poem 'The Wild Honeysuckle' symbolizes life's __________.

ephemerality.

Washington Irving’s 'Rip Van Winkle' explores themes of __________ and nostalgia.

change.

Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' is a cornerstone of the __________ tradition.

American Gothic.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' critiques societal __________.

hypocrisy.

Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' explores themes of obsession and __________.

fate.

Emily Dickinson's poetry often explores themes like death, immortality, and __________.

nature.

Walt Whitman's 'Leaves of Grass' celebrates __________ and individuality.

democracy.

Stephen Crane's 'The Red Badge of Courage' focuses on the psychological struggles of a __________.

young soldier.

Harriet Beecher Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' exposes the brutal realities of __________.

slavery.

The Lost Generation refers to writers expressing disillusionment with traditional __________.

values.

Langston Hughes's poem 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers' connects the African American experience to __________.

ancient rivers.

William Faulkner's 'Light in August' examines themes of race, __________, and isolation.

identity.

Eugene O’Neill’s 'Long Day’s Journey into Night' explores family __________ and addiction.

dysfunction.

Sylvia Plath's poem 'Daddy' addresses personal trauma through historical __________.

imagery.

The Beat Generation rejected __________ values and embraced spiritual exploration.

mainstream.

Ken Kesey's 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest' critiques __________ control.

institutional.

Alice Walker’s 'The Color Purple' focuses on themes of abuse and __________.

empowerment.

Joseph Heller’s 'Catch-22' offers a satirical take on the absurdities of __________.

war.

Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Left Hand of Darkness' challenges the constructs of __________.

identity.

Tony Kushner's significant work exploring the AIDS pandemic and diverse characters is __________.

Angels in America.

The type of drama focusing on real interviews and community tensions, pioneered by Anna Deavere Smith, is called __________.

documentary theatre.

The play by Anna Deavere Smith that responds to the Crown Heights riots is titled __________.

Fires in the Mirror.

David Henry Hwang's play that critiques Asian American identity through comedy is called __________.

Yellowface.

Leslie Marmon Silko's novel that emphasizes Native American identity and oral traditions is __________.

Ceremony.

Natasha Trethewey's memoir reflecting on her biracial identity and family history is titled __________.

Memorial Drive.

Louise Glück's 2020 Nobel Prize-winning work is known for its exploration of personal and universal dilemmas through poetry, notably in __________.

Wild Iris.

Jesmyn Ward's memoir that addresses systemic racism and the loss of Black lives is __________.

Men We Reaped.

Barbara Kingsolver's novel about the opioid crisis in Appalachia is __________.

Demon Copperhead.

Percival Everett's reinterpretation of 'Huckleberry Finn' featuring a character named James instead of Jim is referred to as __________.

a counternarrative.