This is the subject that Todd passed the first class, he will not go for two weeks but he left a homework, the instructions are at the end of the subject. Also upload in word
Periods of North American LiteraturePeriods of North American Literature
- Puritanism
- Colonialism
- Romanticism
- Transcendentalism
- Realism
- Naturalism
- Modernism
- American drama
- The Harlem renaissance
- Last 20th century
I. Puritanism
a. Basic Puritan beliefs.
1. Every person is born sinful
2. God saves only these he wishes (predestination)
3. Jesus died for the chosen only
4. God’s grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied
5. Perseverance of “Saints”- those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God
b. Function of puritan writers
1. To transform the mysteries of God
2. To make him relevant to the Universe
3. To glorify God
c. Forces undermining (to destroy-to be against) Puritanism
1. A person’s natural desire to do good
2. The dislike of a “closed “life
3. The resentment of power of few over many
4. Change in a economic conditions – fishing, farming, etc
5. Preserve of leaders of dissent – Anne Hutchinson, Royer Williams
6. Concept of self- reliance, individualism and optimism
7. Lack of flexibility of the church
8. Cosmopolitanism of new migrants
II. Colonial Period 1700-1800
a. Common colonial beliefs
1. A human is born without sin
2. It is possible to improve situations of birth: economy, social, status, religion
3. I think, therefore, I’m
4. Out dated social institutions cause unsocial behavior – religious, social, economic, political
b. Function of colonial writers
1. A searching inquiry in all aspects of the world
2. Interest in the classics as well as the Bible
3. Interest in nature
4. Interest in science and scientific experiments
5. Optimism – experience in utopian communities
6. A sense of a person’s duty to succeed
7. A constant search for self-emphasis on individualism
i. A personal religion
ii. The bible is for personal interpretation
iii. “My mind is my church” Thomas Paine
c. The united Deist Community
1. The beliefs that God is discovered through reason. God designed and created this world, and governs it through natural laws that can be discovered through reasoning, observation, and experience
2. One cannot access God through any organized religion ritual, set of beliefs, sacrament or other practice
3. God has “not” selected a chosen people (Jews or Christian) to be recipient of any special revelation or gift
4. They view Jesus as philosopher, teacher, and healer but not the son of God
5. Miracles do not happen
6. Morality is important but there is no need to appeal religious revelation
III. Romanticism: early 1800’s
a. Elements of romanticism
1. Frontier, vast expanse, freedom, no geographic limitations
2. Optimism greater than Europe because of the presence of frontier
3. Experimentations in science and institutions
4. Mingling (mixing) of races immigrants and large number arrive to the U.S
5. Industrialism: growth of Industry in the North – growth of agriculture in the South
b. Romantic subject matter
1. The quest of beauty
2. The use of fan-away and non-normal (ab-normal)
3. Interest in the past
4. Characterization and mood: grotesque, Gothicism, sense of terror, fear, oddness
5. Escapism from American problems
6. Interest in external nature
7. Nature as a source of knowledge
8. Nature as a refuge
c. Romantic attitude
1. Appeal to imagination, suspension of disbeliefs
2. Stress and emotion rather than reason, optimism
3. Subjectivity
d. Romantic techniques
1. Remoteness of setting in time and place
2. Improbable plots
3. Inadequate or unlikely characterization
4. Socially “harmful morality” a world of lies
5. From risen out of content- non-formal
6. Experimentation in new forms of writing
7. Writing subjectivity
HOMEWORK: Due August 28th
- Read
the Scarlet letter (summary) - Captain Auld
- Dr. Heidegger’s experiment (answer selection I questions and selection II questions 2,3,4,6) In the photocopy!!!!
