Early American Literature Essay - 1511 Words

As the new world struggled to gain impendence from its mother country, Britain, native authors also try to develop their own style of writings. It quickly became evident that the search for a native literature became a national obsession. Then with the triumph of American independence, many at the time saw this as a divine sign that America and her people were destined for greatness. Greatness came with a strong nation and thousands of poems and stories that still shape our nation. The recent revolution greatly expressed the heart of the American people. However, it would take another fifty years of development throughout American before it produced the first great generation of American writers such as, Washington Irving, Ralph†¦show more content†¦As America continued to grow and developed so did its writers. A major changed came with writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson was an American philosopher, poet and the leader of the Tran scendentalist movement. This movement started as a protest against the current state of the society and culture; and was based on a fundamental belief in the unity of the world and God. Emerson declared literary independence in the United States and urged Americans to create a writing style all their own and free from Europe (Ralph). This type of methodology is easily portrayed in his two stories, The American Scholar, and Self Reliance. Thoreau was a nonconformist and attempted to live his life at all times according to his rigorous principles, which became the subject of many of his writings. In Walden, Thoreau not only tests the theories of Transcendentalism, he re-enacts the collective American experience of the 19th century, living on the frontier. The overall story of Walden is in fact a view on Thoreaus radical and controversial perspective of society. Many of Thoreaus repeated, irrelevant details can be traced to his description of what is wrong with the American society . He believed that the society is extremely overwhelmed with material things and they often seem to think that is what mattersShow MoreRelatedEarly American Literature2012 Words   |  9 PagesAmerican Literature begins in the early 1600s with the written works of the new settlers coming from Europe to the New Land of America. Although the Indians lived in America before the first Europeans arrived; their literature was somewhat neglected due to it being transmitted orally with no written works. The American writings of the early seventeenth century possess no great artistic value; they are mainly valuable as a study in origins and understanding Americas early experience. During itsRead MoreThemes in Early American Literature Essays1568 Words   |  7 PagesThemes of Early American Literature Early American literature does a tremendous job of revealing the exact conditions and challenges that were faced by the explorers and later by the colonists of the New World. From early shipwrecks to the later years of small colonies barely surviving through dreadful winters, the literary works of the time period focus on some very recognizable themes. The theme of any given work – being simply the unifying subject or idea – is a very important element of anyRead MoreChildhood During Early American Literature1447 Words   |  6 PagesChildhood in early American literature: In the early part of American history literature played a significant role in defining on how America would be shaped and molded. For the Puritans, coming to America provided the opportunity to express their opinions and beliefs. This opportunity was what they had been striving for and finally had the chance to implement. The Puritans took full advantage of this opportunity and utilized literature to provide values and rules to be followed. The literature writtenRead MoreEarly American Children s Literature1490 Words   |  6 PagesEarly American children’s literature was intended to provide children with religious, social and moral education. Puritans were one of the first groups to create a large body of children s books, their doctrine of original sin assumed that all children were damned until they were converted to Christianity (Susina ). The Puritans believed that reading the Bible was important to achieving salvation, therefore teaching children to read was a priority for that matter. The New England Primer, An AlphabetRead MoreEssay on Values In Early American Literature1346 Words   |  6 PagesValues in Early American Literature We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, says the Declaration of Independence. This phrase encompasses three major values shown throughout early American literature. The strong belief in religion, freedom, and a strong will for a better life. Each piece had one or more of these themesRead MoreEssay about Early American Literature1044 Words   |  5 PagesEarly American Literature (1620-1820) In the first half of the 17th century the New World found two groups of people colonizing. The first group, the Puritans, had left England after years of exile due to their lack of faith in the Church of England. With the reading and understanding of the Bible almost completely laid in the hands of the preacher, the congregation was forced to believe all the words that the preacher said. This all came to an end with John CalvinRead MoreIndividualism in Early American Literature Essay1099 Words   |  5 PagesEarly American literature is full of the spirit of individualism. This spirit can best be described by Emerson when he says, Good men must not obey the laws too well. This view has long been an inspiration for future generations of Americans to start some of the greatest reformations of our history. Among the literary units that show support for Emersons idea, there are three that are more powerful at conveying this spirit. The Revolutionaries, the Transcendentalists, and theRead MoreEssay Role of Religion in Early American Literature619 Words   |  3 PagesRole of Religion in Early American Literature American Literature, especially of the early settler and colonial period is marked by a deep sense of religion and a stress upon writing about matters related to religion. The development of early American literature thus can be seen to be a reflection of the religious ideals followed by the early settlers and colonists and it became a means of promoting a moral and ethical way of life. Early American literature is filled with an obvious expressionRead MoreEssay on The Role of Religion in Early American Literature1218 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Religion in Early American Literature 1) The role of religion played a major role in early American literature. Many different authors form a variety of time periods incorporate religious ideas and philosophies into their writings. A few authors from different time periods that did this were Johnathan Edwards, Anne Bradstreet, and Henry David Thoreau. Anne Bradstreet was a Puritan. Much like all the other Puritans of her time she examined her conscience daily and that theyRead MoreEvolution Of The Witch From Early American Literature1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe Evolution of the Witch from Early American Literature to Contemporary Film Over time there have been many different stories and adaptations about the monster that is the witch. From one folktale, to a book, to a movie there are slight differences that make each interpretation very unique. The stereotype is, people think that witches have green skin, big noses, and that they fly on brooms with pointy hats. However, if we completely examine the different texts such as The Conjuring or The Crucible