1:1 Lecture - American and Modern

Purpose of lecture: To lay foundational ideas for understanding the course content and texts.
Emphasis on critical ideas for comprehending the readings throughout the semester.

Traditional Definition: Literature comprises texts that address enduring ideas and truths about humanity.
Modern Perspectives: Current interpretations include visual media (like television and video games) as literary works.
Focus for the Course: A traditional view that encompasses texts selected for their relevance to human experiences.

Timeframe: Exploring texts from the period of 1865-1900.
Historical Context: The impact of the Scientific Revolution and shifts in self-perception as modern Americans.
- Questions raised about modern minds, discarded beliefs, and newfound ideas leading to changes in worldview.
Importance of Understanding History: Historical context helps elucidate the voices represented in literature and highlights dominant vs. suppressed narratives.

Early American Influences: Reference to Puritans and their beliefs as foundational to American culture.
- Calvinist Roots: Adoption of the idea of predestination, distinguishing between the elect (bound for heaven) and the reprobate (bound for hell).
Common Anxieties: The impact of believing in predestination leads to existential anxiety in individuals about their fates.
Development of the Puritan Ethic: The notion that hard work and financial prosperity could indicate one's standing with God.

Enlightenment Thought: Shift from Calvinism to empiricism, where sense evidence dominates reasoning (e.g., Thomas Jefferson, George Washington).
Deism: A belief system where God is viewed as a creator without adhering to traditional Christian doctrines.
Self-Evident Truths: The Declaration of Independence reflecting ideals of equality and unalienable rights.

Transformation of Puritan Ethic: Emphasis on hard work leading to success, without direct divine implication, resulting in the modern American Dream.

Romanticism: A movement emphasizing emotion over reason, imagination, and the importance of nature.
Contrast with Realism: Romantic belief in individualism and supernaturalism stands against the later realist viewpoints.
Key Themes: Exploration of individual existence and the spiritual connectedness through art and nature.

Industrial Revolution: Significant shift from agrarian lifestyles to urban industrial life.
- Impact on Employment: Migration from rural areas to cities for factory jobs, altering family structures and economic dynamics.
Urban Population Growth: Example of New York City's population skyrocketing from 500,000 in 1900 to 3 million.

Darwin's Theories: Introduction of natural selection and evolution reshaping humanity's self-perception.
The Divide in Beliefs: Contrast between romantic ideals of humanity and the more scientific, animalistic views posited by Darwin.

Definitions and Distinctions: Realism advocating for the truthful treatment of material and human life without supernatural elements.
Naturalism: A subset of realism with a focus on deterministic themes (e.g., Darwinism) and presenting humanity as evolved beings.
Key Figures: Stephen Crane positioned as a notable author reflecting naturalist ideas in his works.
- Example of Crane's Poem: Addresses themes of existential dread and the harsh realities of life.

Contrast in Literary Views: Emphasis on the transition from romantic ideologies to modern perspectives.
Importance of Awareness: Encouragement to acknowledge multiple perspectives in understanding modernity in literature.