...Discovering African American Literature Rebekah Valcarcel Eng/301 November 30th, 2015 Dr. Julie Kares The art of storytelling invites readers into another world. Examining the literary conventions African American authors use allows readers to compare and contrast literary works. Harriet A. Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Terry McMillan’s The End and Maya Angelou’s Willie are significant literary pieces to discuss. It is important to consider factors such as historical, socio-political and cultural climate because these factors contribute and influence an author’s point of view as well as each author’s unique voice and message depending on the time period. Harriet A. Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, is a slave narrative. The literary conventions of the slave narrative define the work. Slave narratives echo biblical stories that often reflect persecuted groups attempting to escape to freedom. Jacobs’s piece details her struggle to escape her master from sexual abuse. Vivanco (2003), “The process from sin to rebirth in spiritual autobiographies is paralleled by the process from slavery to freedom in slave narratives. Slaves experience a change from chattel, enduring suffering, to man or woman living in the Promised Land, the North,” (para. 5). Further distinction of the slave narrative is how authors shape the story, often chronologically. Slave narratives illustrate an author’s personal experience though many share common themes of extreme...
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...American Ethnic Literature JamieLyn Thompson ENG 301 Marc Bonanni December 7th, 2015 American Ethnic Literature Introduction American literature is most commonly based on experiences within the American culture. Being an American comes with unique qualities, from the vast landscapes to the rich history. According to Britannica.com American literature is "the body of written works produced in the English language in the United States".(Britannic.com) However, there are many different types of American literature from classic American literature to modern American literature being writing all around the world based on the American experiences of the author. American Ethnic Literature The American ethnic literature is based on life and freedom with the United States. These pieces of literature reflect the different aspects and inspire many other countries. It has been seen that Americans can go through numerous setbacks and always spring back from the hardships. There are historical events that are written to express the events and how the country fought to have a life that was worth living. There is a great deal of pride that come with being an American and it is something a reader can get a small glimpse of when reading American literature. America is deep with cultural diversity that allows the country to cater to a different race, religion and ethnic background as a whole, this expressed within the American Literature. Literary Canon The literary canon is an automatic...
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...What makes American literature American? America has long been fans of the superior writers, such as Hemingway and Fitzgerald for their various works including “The Great Gatsby” and “The Old Man in the Sea”, America has been known for its fondness of short stories. American literature aims to embody the values and morals of the American culture. The foundation of American values include the rights to liberty, justice, freedom, equality, love, and family, American literature usually will be centered in one or more of these ideals. American literature incorporates the story of an American character and their encounters with the land and the people, exemplifying the human need to control and understand their environment. “Whitman emerges here both as an exemplar of the dominant literary theory and as a precursor of our contemporary value schema, with its enshrinement of the "me" (San Francisco Chronicle (Pre-1997 Fulltext)). Whitman was known for his fresh perspectives of the past and domination of literary theories. What is literary canon? How does literary canon relate to what is going on in society? Literary canons are the classifications of books and their influence upon the culture and society of a specific region or country. Literary canons outline the influential literature of a culture, society, country, or secular community. Society looks to literary canons to understand cultural influence and to research the issues that are most important to the people of the country...
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...American literature is literature expressed through American’s going through American history. Thomas Jefferson, for example, wrote the Declaration of Independence. During his time of writing it, the congress was going through a debate for independence and freedom. John Adams pretty much forced the Declaration of Independence on Jefferson, so it really was written as an excuse to hold up the decision of independence. Adams wanted it written so they could have something to clarify the freedom humans rightfully deserved. All Jefferson wanted was everyone to be treated equally. We are all men and women, we are all Americans, and skin color shouldn’t define who we are. We all have equal rights as citizens and deserve the same freedom...
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...American Ethnic Literature ENG/301 April M Lee October 15, 2012 Dr .Greg Beatty Literature came about many decays ago we use Literature to define the genre: humor, poetry, drama, plays, science- fiction and more. You also can use literature for was the ethnicity reason such as; French literature, and English literature and many more other ethnicity. In this paper I am going to talk about the American ethnic literature, American literature American, literary canon and many more different topics. American ethnic literature is a difficult subject to define because there is no single ethnic type of American when it comes to talking about the American ethic literature in this world. Americans are all made up from the people, who came to the United States. We as American makes the ethnicity part of literature by combine the different culture from all over the states. During the found of the nations there were a lot of groups of immigrants that had come to add their talent to our country. (Ethnic American Literature, 2000) The Irish was the largest group that had came in the early part of the 1800s. The Asia brought the culture over around the 1960s to share their talent and beliefs. All of them came together by bring their different skills, way they be thinking and beliefs to show everyone how they was different from the mainstream of the Americans, and by challenging different...
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...AMERICAN LITERATURE Course + Code Name Professor’s Name University City and State Date American Literature Since the Civil War. Create ed. McGraw-Hill, 2014. E-book. Nick has a fixation if camping and fishing in nature which is an escape mode from the horrible and distressful experience that he had gained within his past. Nick is suffering from PTSD and this is main reason why he has emotional vision on his wellbeing by dwelling in nature. To some extent, Nick’s survival can be seen as a helpful mode towards his own wellbeing but in reality the case is quite different. Hemingway has emphasized greatly on the Nick’s disturbed psychological condition. Hemingway has used the swamp metaphors within his emphasis. The author has made attempts in revealing some particular nature aspects that reinstates the feeling of hopelessness within him through Nick’s plan of escaping to the surrounding nature. The story indicated that it is tragic to fish in the swamp. Suspicion is brought about by fishing in the swamp and Nicks urge to go fishing. Nicks is seen to have quite a deeper mental connection to fishing as opposed to the bodily adaptation of fishing within the swamp. Nick may have been observed to enjoy natural environment through his urge of escaping into nature that would do him better due to his mental condition. However, by the fact that Nick has a fixation of the tragic swamp, all feelings change. Within Nick life, the swamp acts as an obstacle as it represents a challenge...
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...American history is the bases for America now. We need to understand the building blocks of our world today, so we don’t make the same mistakes that we did from the past. Everyone should learn from the early settlers mistakes and not also repeat them. In politics people learn from histories mistakes so they will not get overturned and there will not be any civil wars. The role of literature in understanding the origins of American ideology is how freedom of religion, economic struggle, and the government is the same from 200 years ago to the present day. The economy 200 years ago would fluctuate from high to low just how it fluctuates now; people traded and tried anything to make a profit and sometimes the Europeans would give the Indians an unfair trade, just like how people today are capitalists in America and the bosses will do anything to increase their profits even if that gives the workers a lower wage for the same job. When people discover new things they are likely to make money off their discovery. “While the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of biscuit, which the sailers would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us, for money, sassafras, furs, or love” (Smith 67). Indians and Europeans are able to make profit off goods that the other group doesn’t make. Just like in our society today we buy China’s products that we don’t make and they buy ours that they don’t make. The foundation of our government elected officials is the government...
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...Jazzmin Te American Military University LITR 220 Constance Bracewell February 9, 2013 American Literature before the civil war Introduction In reference to Burt (p.11), the romantic idealism about American writing gave way to a realistic perspective on what America had become under the pressure of war and expansion as well as the acceleration of technological, economic and social change. In reference to Selcer (p.26), American Literature Library has thousands of short stories and classic novels for everyone to enjoy. In reference to Selcer (p.65), organizations devoted to the study of American authors include a directory of member- societies, and membership and event information. The library of America offers American Literature, including poems, novels, essays drama and other American works from America’s best writers. According to Hewitt (p.4), during its initial history, the US was a British colony especially on the east-coast of the present US. In reference to Hewitt (p.6), therefore, its literary traditions borrow heavily from the British. Nevertheless, its distinct features and the depth of its production make it to be viewed as its own entity. In reference to Hewitt (p.60), who American was and what America had become was the dominant theme of literature as the first outlines of modern American life took shape. Earliest forms of American Literature In reference to Selcer (p.52), many American authors turned to letter writing as an idealized genre...
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...Over the course of history, a recurring theme of American literature authors utilizing their stories as “moral purifiers” has manifested. These authors use their works of literature to attempt to draw attention to and reform ideals and occurrences that they deem wrong or immoral within their time period. Three stories that efficiently display this concept are “A New England Nun” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, “A Pair of Silk Stockings” by Kate Chopin, and “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce. One prevalent example of an attempt at moral purification by an American literature author is “A New England Nun” written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman. In this short story, Freeman denounces the societal ideal of the 1900’s that a woman is...
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...major themes in American literature that have Caucasians playing the heroic protagonist whereas the African American plays the antagonist. African Americans are seen as the dark, or the wrong within media. Throughout history most African Americans play minor characters that add conflict to stories such as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee or Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. American history of race has impacted the world and created problematic stereotypes. “I pointed out that cultural identities are formed and informed by a nation's literature. What seemed to be on the "mind" of the literature of the United States was the self-conscious but highly problematic construction of the American as a new white...
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...African American Literature ENG/301 Kristina Brooks March 12, 2012 The African American Literature and its history was an interesting subject or ethnic literary to learn about. This literature’s readings showed a great deal of different moments or life events that the different authors experienced as well as tragic events, and heart felt pain they endured over their lifetime. Some authors talked about the wonderful life they lived and how blessed they were to be a white man’s slave. I will be discussing the different views and relations in each of the readings along with the racist remarks and overall way they were treated as an African American over different periods of time. The first reading I want to talk about is, “White Folks Treated Us Good,” by Marriah Hines. In this reading Hines talks about how life as a slave for the white folks was great, so great, that when slavery ended and African Americans were given their freedom, she stayed because of the way her master treated her and stayed loyal to him and his family until he passed away. During the time of slavery, Hines, was never treated bad, nor was she ever beaten or raped by her masters. While some people were starved, and treated like cats and dogs, Hines, was fed and clothed and kept them on a higher level (Hines, M p.34). The next reading I will be talking about is, “To my old Master,” by Jourdan Anderson. This story is a great message about how...
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...contributed a good collection of books which constitute the body of American Literature. Any book written will register the life style of people, their food habits, culture, beliefs, system of education followed, the nature of children and their history. The books written by the writers from the United States of America have registered the expectations, hopes, future predictions along with warnings their fear for degeneration of moralities and the impacts of Industrial revolutions. American Literature was acutely carved by the history of the United Nations of America. In the beginning after a great revolution for more than a century and half America became the United States. Though at first...
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...American Literature I Prof. Ignacio Magaloni Over the last 5 weeks, there have been many interesting readings assigned. We have experienced readings from Native Americans and European Americans that settled here in America. Through these readings we have learned how each culture communicated with each other and expressed their views. We have also learned many different customs that each culture practiced or believed in. Early European Americans expressed how they felt leaving England and then later becoming a new independent country. As I look back, both cultures did believe in a God or Great Spirit and each one worked in a different way. This is one concept that caught my attention the most, the Native Americans believed deeply in the Great Spirit. In week five, we read stories of the Pontiac and other Native American Tribes. As I read through the stories they all had one thing in common and that was the Great Spirit. The Native Americans relied heavily on the Great Spirit for guidance and worshipped him greatly. “Our Great Father, over the great waters, is angry with the white people, our enemies. He will send his brave warriors against them; he will send us rifles, and whatever else we want-he is our friend, and we are his children.” (449) When the white men were trying to overrun the native Americans it was the Great Spirit who gave them advice to rely on the ancestor’s techniques to overcome the white men. The European Americans on the other hand viewed...
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...Native American Literature Bryant & Stratton College-Online Ms. Spruill April 4, 2014 “Pocahontas to Her English Husband”, tone was convincing that Pocahontas felt proud that she was able to save her husband life, but the reader seen a level of resentment for the many times that she was able to save her husband. The reader can sense a thing of anger in the beginning. “And how many times did I pluck you / from certain death in the wilderness / my world through which you stumbled as though blind”, (“Allen” 4-7). This displays a tone of maternal disregard and irritation of a younger individual who cannot take control of their own actions. The theme for “Pocahontas to Her English Husband” is love but it is described in a different way. She tends to portray a more pity type of love than affectionate and romantic way. Pocahontas has a way to display a very kind hearted personality because she is willing to show her support to help John. “Had I not cradled you in my arms / oh beloved perfidious one, / you would have died” (“Allen” 1-3). The tone for “Taking a Visitor to See the Ruins” was dull without my life behind the words but humor. “His eyes grew large, and then he laughed / looking shocked at the two women he’d just met. Silent for a second, they laughed too” (“Allen” 28-30). The theme is happiness and laughter even after he realized that his friend was playing a joke on him he took that great moment and continued on. “ And he’s still telling the tale of the old...
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...Harjo English 375: Literature of the American Midwest Joy Harjo Can we separate the artist from the art? If you read something written by Hitler, could you really understand his intent without knowing what the man himself was about? An individual may read thousands of books, articles or poems during their lifetime, but how many of us really try to understand what sort of background or values influence what we are reading? There is a reason that the Literature of the American Midwest is a collection. Each story or author has something in common that in some way has connected them to writing about what we define as the American Midwest. “If the Midwest is to act as a region, it must know what it is. It must define itself. It needs a unifying portrait, a communal myth. To paint this portrait, we look to our writers, especially our novelists (Longworth, 2010, pg. 1).” Joy Harjo is an example of a writer whose work uniquely defines the Midwest through her heritage, values, accomplishments, and social and political views. Joy Harjo is a particularly interesting writer whose accomplishments and values can help you to understand a great deal about how and why her writings define her as much as she defines them. “Joy Harjo was born in 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Native American and Canadian ancestry. Strongly influenced by her Muskogee Creek heritage, feminist and social concerns, and her background in the arts, Harjo frequently incorporates Native American myths, symbols,...
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