American Literature The Puritan Legacy The American character

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American Literature • The Puritan Legacy • The American character and, through it, the

American Literature • The Puritan Legacy • The American character and, through it, the American literary tradition has been shaped by the moral, ethical, and religious convictions of the Puritans.

Puritans? • Refers to a number of protestant groups that sought to “purify” the

Puritans? • Refers to a number of protestant groups that sought to “purify” the Church of England (b/c of Henry VIII) • • Simple forms of worship Religion was a personal, inner experience Persecuted in England for their beliefs Came to New World in hopes of maintaining English identity

Beliefs Certainty Doubt • b/c of Adam and Eve, most of humanity would be

Beliefs Certainty Doubt • b/c of Adam and Eve, most of humanity would be damned for all eternity • God sent Jesus to Earth to save certain people • Is a person saved (the “elect”) or damned (the “unregenerate”) ? • 2 principal indications of the state of your soul (neither completely certain)

Indications of the state of your soul • You could feel the grace of

Indications of the state of your soul • You could feel the grace of God and the arrival of God’s grace was demonstrated in your outward behavior • After receiving grace, you were “reborn” as a member of the community of saints • People wishing to be among the saints examined their lives closely for signs of grace and tried to live exemplary lives

Puritan traits • • Self-reliance Industriousness Temperance Simplicity

Puritan traits • • Self-reliance Industriousness Temperance Simplicity

Puritan Politics • Puritans believed in a covenant (contract) between God and humanity •

Puritan Politics • Puritans believed in a covenant (contract) between God and humanity • Believed people should enter freely into the same type of contract with government (The Mayflower Compact and constitutional democracy) • Because the “elect” held so much influence they tended to be very undemocratic

Characteristics of Puritan Writing • The Bible provided a model; a conception of each

Characteristics of Puritan Writing • The Bible provided a model; a conception of each individual life as a journey to salvation. They saw direct connections between Biblical events and their own lives • Used writing to explore their inner and outer lives for signs of the workings of God • Diaries and histories were the most common forms of expression; in them writers described the workings of God • They favored a plain style with clarity of expression and avoided complicated figures of speech