The Beginning of American Literature As We Know It

This word defines a movement that flourished in the art world in 19th Century Europe and America

Romantic writers glorified nature and celebrated individuality

They treated subjects in an emotional rather than a rational manner and were often intuitive rather than analytic

After living under the strict rules of Puritanism many people started to doubt the way they were living and questioned the ideas behind their lives

In America, the population exploded and people wanted to find a new way to define the new country

WASHINGTON IRVING• The first American author

to receive worldwide recognition•He set an example for humorous writing, wrote some of the first literary short stories, and influenced many other writers•Famous Stories: “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW• The first popular

American poet•He was part of romantic writers called the Fireside Poets- much of his work was written to be read by a fireplace•His poems were often uplifting and sentimental

This word defines a philosophy that was an American offshoot of German romanticism

It was based on a belief that “transcendent forms” of truth exist beyond reason and experience.

Non-conformity, confidence, self-reliance, free thought and nature were major themes in their writing

Would the American revolution have happened if people had not be non-conformative?

Confident?Think for themselves?Be self-reliant?Do I need to explain more?These writers couldn’t forget!

Ralph Waldo Emerson• One of America’s Best

Thinkers and Writers- EVER!•Entered Harvard College- AT 14!•Formed the “Transcendental Club” with friends•He had a distinct poetic style and his writing was very elegant•He spent a lot of his life lecturing his ideas to people

Henry David Thoreau•Member of the “Transcendental

Club” with Emerson, who was his mentor and close friend•Careful observer and deep thinker•Tried to live by his values and not society’s values•Spent time in jail for not paying a ticket- therefore, he was one of the first in nonviolent acts of political resistance in government protest•He loved the outdoors, solitude, and much of his work is nature based

GREAT EMERSON QUOTES

The only way to have a friend is to be one. Hitch your wagon to a star.What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.Nothing great was ever achieved without

enthusiasm. Make yourself necessary to someone.A great man is always willing to be little.

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.

Always do what you are afraid to do.

As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.As soon as there is life there is

danger. Beauty without expression is boring.

Children are all foreigners.

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Earth laughs in flowers.

GREAT THOREAU QUOTESAn early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.

Be not simply good - be good for something

Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.

Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations.

Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

If misery loves company, misery has company enough.

It is never too late to give up our prejudices.Live the life you've dreamed.

Walt Whitman•Whitman was a true American icon- he had experienced a lot of different things in his life and was a revolutionary in American poetry•His poems touched on all aspects of life- from the unique, the commonplace, the beautiful, and the ugly. He wrote about both city and country life.•His book of poems called Leaves of Grass was controversial because they included a lot of sexual imagery and many critics called them “barbaric”

WORDS AND PHRASES THAT APPEAL TO THE FIVE SENSES THAT HELP THE READER IMAGINE EXACTLY WHAT THE LITERARY WORK IS TRYING TO CONVEY TO HIM/HER

THE MAJORITY OF IMAGES ARE VISUAL IN ORDER FOR THE READER TO BUILD PICTURES IN HIS/HER MIND

BRIEF STATEMENT, USUALLY ONE SENTENCE LONG, THAT EXPRESSES A GENERAL PRINCIPLE OR TRUTH ABOUT LIFE (see quotes in earlier slides)

“Honesty is the best policy”- Ben Franklin

Statement that seems to contradict itself but makes sense when thought through

This statement is false.

Free Verse: Poetry that lacks meter and rhyme schemes, in other words it is free

Catalog: Frequent lists of people, things, and attributes in poetry

Repetition: Repeating words at the beginning of two or more lines

Parallelism: Related ideas phrased in similar ways