NOTES+FOR+CLASS

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The Modern Era of American literature covers the period of about 1915 to 1946. For those of you who study history, you will know this coincides with the end of World War Two. During this period in our history, American writers used symbolism and focused on the challenges in society, political and cultural. This is the time of Freud, the Great Depression, the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance.



The era of realistic literature in America was a reaction to the Romanticists and the experience of the Civil war. It was hard for people to see life in a positive and joyful way when the stark nature of their lives involved the loss of family, the brutality of warfare and the mending of a country threatened from within its own bordres. The struggles of everyday people in overcrowded cities, the use of children in the world of labor, the "window tax" and many other problems plagued the nation. Writers turned their eyes to the real issues and attempted to paint a picture of the world around them using their words. This was not a time for happy endings, but a time to take stock in what needed to be seen and ultimately, changed.

This is also the era of the Naturalistic writer. These authors put men in natural settings and presented Nature not as a place of refreshment or relaxation or as a demonic force, but as an entity that neithers cares for man nor works against him. Nature simply exists, say these writers, and man either adapts to it, or dies within it. Jack London, Steven Crane and other regional or color writers wrote stories in which their characters faced tough survival situations.



The third Era in American Literature is called the Renaissance. The word "renaissance" mean rebirth or renewal. At this time, the American people were trying to build a new country and make social changes that would benefit all Americans. The question on people's minds was whether or not America would or could produce great original writers and poets. At the same time, the Dark Romantics were thinking about behavior and madness and guilt. The Transcendentalists were pretty optimistic that man could create better societies if they worked together and for the benefit of every one. The New Englanders were busy working on social projects through the Lyceum Movement.



The second era we are investigating is called the Era of Romanticism. During the period 1800 to about 1860, people began changing their views on city life and the culture they wanted to develop. This is a time of change and people seek to better their world and their living conditions. In New York, William C Bryant has an idea for a park...





The first Era we reviewed is referred to as The Beginnings to 1800 in American literature. This era covers the stories and myths of the Native peoples who lived on the North American continent as well as the first European settlers who arrived and developed the colonies along the coast. During this time, people believe that this new land will never run out of resources and new opportunities will abound. Every man can make a new start and be a "rags to riches" story- just like Ben Franklin. Of course, something happens in Salem, Massachusettes that affects the people in town and the new nation as a whole. (Remember the law?)