What values and beliefs shape the American identity? Where do these values and beliefs originate?
CLASS SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
Class summmary of findings goes here
Pre WWI: The Scarlet Letter, Call of the Wild, The Red Badge of Courage
History has had a profound influence on literature. In the 1850s, anti-transcendentalism and Romanticism were at their height. These ideas are portrayed in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne presents much symbolism representing Romantic/Anti-transcendentalist ideas extensively through nature and imagination. This era lost much of its influence in the pre-Civil War and Civil War Era (1855-65). When the Southern States seceded from the Northern states (forming the Confederacy) over slaves and other issues, the civil war began in 1861. This would prove to be one of the most pivotal wars in US history. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, written in 1895, nearly 30 years later, shows what life would have been like through the eyes of an 18 year old boy. He was greatly influenced by these times as well as what was going on. Later, in the 1890s, the need for gold exploded. The Call of the Wild by Jack London was based in Alaska where the main means of transportation were sled dogs. The main character Buck, a dog, is sold to a wealthy pair in order to travel through the mountains in order to search for gold mines. Through these examples, one can see how history has greatly influenced literature for a very long time.
Between the World Wars: A Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, The Age of Innocence, Our Town, My Antonia, The Grapes of Wrath
We have decided that history influences literature, things written about in the books we have read, were influenced from real events in history. History shows through in our books using actual events that have happened in the past and customs that were shown using characters in the books.
WWII/Post WWII: Catcher in the Rye, Invisible Man, The Old Man and the Sea, Death of a Salesman
In a time when perfect was considered the norm, these novels show that they ugly underbelly of what the world was really like. After WWII African American soldiers came back from the war feeling increased need for equality and respect. They wanted their sense of freedom. The rights movement consisted of peaceful protests to gain rights. But underneath it all, blacks were still hated and discriminated against to this day. The 1950’s saw the steady economic rise after the Great Depression. Credit Value was increasing and Americans felt that they could have anything. In reality buying on credit slowly crippled families and individuals. The 1950s was thought to be a time of perfection and perfect families. In reality, it was not. The loss of innocence after the war was great and families were not that white picket fence picture. The war corrupted children into growing up and moving into the adult world.
1960s/Modern: Catch-22, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Color Purple, The Bluest Eye, A Raisin in the Sun
There are a lot of similarities in the novels written during the 1960s and Modern Era. The Civil Rights movement was a big topic and because of this more books were written and published by African American authors. Their writings were mostly based on the segregation and oppression of African Americans in society. Also, it became more acceptable for authors to write about subjects that may have previously been considered unacceptable by society. Most of the books in this category deal with more mature situations regarding sexual interactions. They gave a more psychological theme.
What values and beliefs shape the American identity? Where do these values and beliefs originate?
CLASS SUMMARY OF FINDINGS:
Class summmary of findings goes herePre WWI: The Scarlet Letter, Call of the Wild, The Red Badge of Courage
History has had a profound influence on literature. In the 1850s, anti-transcendentalism and Romanticism were at their height. These ideas are portrayed in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne presents much symbolism representing Romantic/Anti-transcendentalist ideas extensively through nature and imagination. This era lost much of its influence in the pre-Civil War and Civil War Era (1855-65). When the Southern States seceded from the Northern states (forming the Confederacy) over slaves and other issues, the civil war began in 1861. This would prove to be one of the most pivotal wars in US history. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, written in 1895, nearly 30 years later, shows what life would have been like through the eyes of an 18 year old boy. He was greatly influenced by these times as well as what was going on. Later, in the 1890s, the need for gold exploded. The Call of the Wild by Jack London was based in Alaska where the main means of transportation were sled dogs. The main character Buck, a dog, is sold to a wealthy pair in order to travel through the mountains in order to search for gold mines. Through these examples, one can see how history has greatly influenced literature for a very long time.Between the World Wars: A Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, The Age of Innocence, Our Town, My Antonia, The Grapes of Wrath
We have decided that history influences literature, things written about in the books we have read, were influenced from real events in history. History shows through in our books using actual events that have happened in the past and customs that were shown using characters in the books.WWII/Post WWII: Catcher in the Rye, Invisible Man, The Old Man and the Sea, Death of a Salesman
In a time when perfect was considered the norm, these novels show that they ugly underbelly of what the world was really like.
After WWII African American soldiers came back from the war feeling increased need for equality and respect. They wanted their sense of freedom. The rights movement consisted of peaceful protests to gain rights. But underneath it all, blacks were still hated and discriminated against to this day.
The 1950’s saw the steady economic rise after the Great Depression. Credit Value was increasing and Americans felt that they could have anything. In reality buying on credit slowly crippled families and individuals.
The 1950s was thought to be a time of perfection and perfect families. In reality, it was not. The loss of innocence after the war was great and families were not that white picket fence picture. The war corrupted children into growing up and moving into the adult world.
1960s/Modern: Catch-22, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Color Purple, The Bluest Eye, A Raisin in the Sun
There are a lot of similarities in the novels written during the 1960s and Modern Era. The Civil Rights movement was a big topic and because of this more books were written and published by African American authors. Their writings were mostly based on the segregation and oppression of African Americans in society. Also, it became more acceptable for authors to write about subjects that may have previously been considered unacceptable by society. Most of the books in this category deal with more mature situations regarding sexual interactions. They gave amore psychological theme.