1. The “Isms” of American Literature

2. Puritanism Key Dates: 1620 – 1720 Founded by the Puritans who immigrated to American from England to escape religious persecution.

3. Puritan Subject Matter Preoccupied with sin and salvation. Emphasis on Religion “Didactic” or teaching through lecturing.

4. Puritan Beliefs People born from Original Sin. Hard Work and Discipline lead to salvation. Emphasis on conforming to God’s will and the will of the group.

5. Puritan Key Texts 1.“Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” – Jonathan Edwards 2.“Huswifery” – Edward Taylor 3.The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne

6. Rationalism (1720 – 1820) The period leading up to the Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States of America.

7. Rationalism Subject Matter Nature of Government -Monarchy vs. Democratic Politics and Public Discussion Based upon Science

8. Rationalist Beliefs Support Personal Freedoms “Deism” -Religion based upon reason vs. Didactic lecturing. Universe Explored through Discovery

9. Realist Key Texts 1.“Declaration of Independence” – Thomas Jefferson 2.“Speech in the Virginia Convention”- Patrick Henry 3.Various Modern Speeches

10. Romanticism (1820 – 1865) Influenced by the European Enlightenment. Valued individual rights, beauty in nature, and philosophy.

11. Romantic Subject Matter Quest for Beauty Interest in the Strange and Abnormal Social and Political Injustice

12. Romantic Beliefs Creativity Symbolism Love of Nature and Rural Life

13. Romantic Key Texts 1. ““Thanatopsis” – William Cullen Bryant 2. “The First Snowfall” – James Russell 3. The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne

14. Transcendentalism (1820 – 1865) Influenced by Romanticism, but explores further connection between God and nature.

15. Transcendental Subject Matter Appreciation of Nature Emphasis on Mysteries of the Universe Nature is where humans find God.

16. Transcendental Beliefs Self Reliance: Depend on yourself for making good choices. God found through the individual Anti-Materialism: Build things yourself

17. Transcendental Texts “Nature” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Self-Reliance” – Ralph Waldo Emerson “Walden” – Henry David Thoreau

18. Realism (1860 – 1900) The period leading up to, during, and after the Civil War where America debated about the ethics of the Institution of Slavery.

19. Realism Subject Matter The Abolition of Slavery Human Rights vs. Rights of Ownership Regionalism: emphasis on dialect on customs of the South.

20. Realist Beliefs Destiny controlled by Environment Debate: -North: slavery was a cruel/inhuman institution. -South: a necessity for their economy.

21. Realist Key Texts “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” – Olaudah Equiano “Incident in the Life of a Slave Girl” – Harriet Jacobs The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain

22. Modernism (1900 – 1945) The period between the turn-of-the century to the beginning of WWII. America’s change from a rural/Agrarian Society to a urban/cosmopolitan society.

23. Modernist Subject Matter Bold Experimentation Disillusionment: frustration with the society and the world. Rejection of traditional styles and beliefs

24. Modernist Beliefs American Dream belief that anyone can be successful. Individual over society by attacking the social order. Class warfare: low- class/rural life vs. high class/city life.

25. Modernist Key Texts “Chicago” – Carl Sandburg 4 poems by Langston Hughes The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald