Contemporary Literature 1950 Present American Literature Overview n

+ Contemporary Literature 1950 – Present

+ American Literature Overview n Puritans (1650 -1750) n Age of Reason (1750 -1800) n Romanticism (1800 -1860) n Transcendentalism (1840 -1860) n Realism (1855 -1900) n Modernism (1900 -1950) n Harlem Renaissance (1920 s) n Post Modernism (1950 s-present) n Contemporary (1970 s-present)

+ Review: Puritans n Genre/Style n n Effects/Aspects n n n Sermons (remember “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”) Religious poems (Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor) Plain writing style Instructive, reinforced the authority of the Bible/church Very little imaginative literature Historical Context n Puritan settlers fled England (where they were persecuted for their religious beliefs) and came to New England for religious freedom

+ Review: Age of Reason n Genre/Style: n Political Pamphlets (Thomas Paine) n Ornate Persuasive Writing (Thomas Jefferson) Effects/Aspects: n Growth of patriotism n Unity about issues n American character developed Historical Context n Much of the literature written at this time encouraged Revolutionary War support.

+ Review: Romanticism n n n Genre/Style: n Novel/Short Story (The Scarlet Letter) n Poetry (Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson) Effects/Aspects: n Nature represented freedom n Imagination was very important Historical Context: n Publishing expanded n The industrial revolution brought new ideas

+ Review: Transcendentalism n n n Genre/Style: n Poetry n Short Stories n Novels n Essays (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Effects/Aspects: n Idealism and individualism were prized n Extensive use of symbolism Historical Context: n Reaction to industrial revolution

+ Review: Realism n n Genre/Style: n Novels (Mark Twain) n Short Stories n Writers often used an objective narrator who did not tell the reader how to interpret the story (think of Huck). Effects/Aspects: n n Social and aesthetic realism Historical Context: n Post Civil War culture demanded more realistic literature

+ Review: Modernism n Genre/Style: n n n Effects/Aspects: n n Novels (The Great Gatsby) Plays Poetry Interior monologue (Nick Carraway) Stream of Consciousness (Hemingway) Pursuit of American Dream (Gatsby) Admiration for America Importance of Individual Historical Context: n Influenced by WWI, WWII

+ Review: Harlem Renaissance n Genre/Style: n n Effects/Aspects: n n Blues style poetry Brought about Gospel music Historical Context: n The Great Migration – African Americans moved to northern urban centers n African Americans were given greater access to media and publishing

+ Review: Post Modernism n n Genre/Style: n Blurred lines of reality for reader n Nontraditional heroes Effects/Aspects: n n Ground down the distinctions between classes Historical Context: n After WWII

+ So…what is contemporary literature? (1970 s – present) n n Genre/Style: n Narrative fiction/nonfiction n Autobiographical essays n Storytelling n Essays n Antiheroes Themes: n Misery, depression, and disillusionment n Interconnectedness of people n Media culture interprets values n Societal customs and beliefs

+ Contemporary Literature Contd. n Effects/Aspects: n n n n Shift in emphasis from homogeneity to celebrating diversity Questions our ability to accurately see and understand ourselves and our culture Emphasizes the crossing of old boundaries (men/women, east/west, high/low culture) Represents migration and immigration as a fundamental human experience Asserts that the nature of our identities is not true or natural, but seem to be because of consistency and persistence Shows struggle to find meaning in a world of new and evolving science and religion Creates a link between language and reality in which everything is a biased representation

+ How Did it Come About? n The aftermath of WW II ushered in an age of rapid developments in science and technology. n The postwar years offered many Americans increased opportunities for economic and cultural growth, but the individual person often felt lost in the fast-paced, computerized world.

+ Contemporary fiction n Contemporary fiction allows for multiple meanings and multiple worlds, uses nontraditional forms, and comments upon itself. n It embraces traditional storytellers as well as postmodern risk-takers. n It features cultural diversity, criss-crosses the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction, and uses subjects, images, and themes from the past fearlessly.

+ Contemporary Nonfiction n Contemporary nonfiction has become a field equal to fiction, though questions about terminology and accuracy still give rise to controversy. n New Journalism (or Literary Journalism) has added personal and fictional elements to nonfiction, enhancing its popularity with today’s readers.

+ Contemporary Poetry n By the early 1950 s, many writers and readers felt that modernist poetry – impersonal, allusive, difficult – was no longer appropriate. The times called for a more personal and accessible approach that challenged complacency and convention. n Landmarks in the revolt against modernist poetry included poems by Alan Ginsberg, Sylvia Plath, and Ann Sexton.

+ Bibliography n Elements of Literature: Fifth Course p. 904 -918