Study Questions - Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism PDF

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Study Questions - Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism...

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HISTORY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE STUDY QUESTIONS PART 2 - Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism Transcendentalism/American Renaissance Characterize American Transcendentalism American transcendentalism is essentially a kind of practice by which the world of facts and the categories of common sense are temporarily exchanged for the world of ideas and the categories of imagination. Transcendentalists believe that society and its institutions - particularly organized religion and political parties - corrupt the purity of the individual. They have faith that people are at their best when truly "self-reliant" and independent. It is only from such real individuals that true community can form. List some of its important representatives of the transcendentalism and the titles of their works. Major figures in the transcendentalist movement were Ralph Waldo Emerson “Nature”, Henry David Thoreau “Walden; or, Life in the Woods”, Margaret Fuller “Woman in the 19th century”. What kind of experiment was related to the creation of “Walden; or, Life in the Woods”? The book was a record of Thoreau’s experiment in simple living on the northern shore of Walden Pond in eastern Massachusetts (1845–47). Thoreau's idea of transcendentalism stressed the importance of nature and being close to nature. He believed that nature was a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment. A walk in the woods therefore was a search for spiritual enlightenment. How does the author state his purpose? He says that “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life.” What key American values are expressed in the writings of American Transcendentalists? Provide some examples Emerson and Thoreau are by far the most famous transcendentalists in history. Both Emerson and Thoreau valued the following key aspects of transcendentalism: Equality, Individualism, Self-Reliance, Integrity, and Optimism. They both demonstrated these values in their philosophical writings. Provide the names of 3-4 authors to be associated with American Renaissance. Provide also the titles of some of their important works. Henry David Thoreau's “Walden; or, Life in the Woods”, Walt Whitman's “Leaves of Grass”, Nathaniel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter”, “The House of Seven Gables “,"The Blithedale Romance" What does “A” stand for in The Scarlet Letter? She is required to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress when she is in front of the townspeople to shame her. The letter "A" stands for adulteress, although this is never said explicitly in the novel. What is this novel about? Work of Nathaniel Hawthorne, In this story, the consequences of Hester Prynne's adulterous affair with the reverend Arthur Dimmesdale are borne out as she gives birth to their child and is forced to wear a Scarlet Letter A, embroidered on her bosom, as a sign of her adultery. Discuss briefly Hawthorne’s relationship with puritanism In his novels he devoted himself in exploring moral and the social issues of the American society and its roots in the Puritan heritage. Thereby, he often thematized his own deep bonds with his Puritan ancestors and created story plots that both highlighted their weaknesses and their strengths. Whereas Hawthorne himself openly showed admiration for the strengths and determination of his Puritan ancestors, he also addresses his own negative concerns for their rigid and oppressive rules of living

American Gothic tradition: characteristics & representatives Common characteristics of classic gothic literature include: wild and desolate landscapes; ancient buildings (ruined mansions, monasteries, etc.); castles and dungeons; secret doors and winding stairways; and apparitions and phantoms. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe What are the frequent themes in Edgar Allan Poe’s writing? Refer to some of his well-known stories, characters etc. Poe’s work is described as a dark, sad, and atmospheric visualization of his thoughts, experience, and soul. His literature shows the ram of imagination, mysterious territories, dreams, themes: sadness, gloom, melancholy, fantasy, phantasmagory, macabre. He is a most famous gothic writer, therefore, his themes are quite eerie. He also likes to explore supernatural theme in his works, e.g. “The Fall in the House of Usher” What does the raven symbolize in Poe’s “The Raven?” What is the importance of the phrase the raven keeps repeating? The Raven symbolizes mournful, never-ending remembrance. The repetition means that every phrase which is repeated is an incontrovertible truth which there is no escaping from. What are the characteristic features and themes of Emily Dickinson’s poetry? Quote a line or two from one of her poems you like best. Features and themes: nature, plants, animals, death, love, god, religion, home and family. “Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me -“ (712) What are the similarities and differences between Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman? They both compare the world to individuals. They also use the theme of nature, death and immortality. It is also important that Whitman was much more outgoing, sociable, while Dickinson spent almost all her life inside her apartment, she was very shy and closed to people. What is the meaning / symbolism of grass in “Song of Myself”? Whitman alludes to the fact that we come from the dust of the earth and spears of grass arise from the dirt. In chapter six, for example, grass is the transfers life force from deceased people who have decomposed into the Earth produces an image of a life cycle. Death is not the end, rather a beautiful transition into rebirth. Grass represents this transition. What 19th century writers explored American history? Provide the titles of some of their works. Herman Melville series of poems “Battle-pieces and Aspects of the War: Civil War Poems", that include e.g. "Shiloh: A Requiem (April, 1862)", "Misgivings" Stephen Crane "The Red Badge of Courage" and collection of poems "War is Kind" Who was Rip Van Winkle? It is a short story by Washington Irving. It follows a Dutch-American villager in colonial America named Rip Van Winkle who falls asleep in the Catskills Mountains and wakes up 20 years later, having missed the American Revolution. Why is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn such an important novel? What is it about? Why was it controversial upon publication (and - in some aspects - remains controversial today?) It is important because it criticizes the attitude towards blacks and slaves. It is about Huck Finn and a slave named Jim who meet with different classes, customs and experience racial prejudice. It was controversial because of the realism of the poem,

because of exposing racial assumptions of slavery and inappropriate humor. In the novel appears many times word “niggers” which is considered as vulgar, even nowadays. Who wrote these words and what is the title of this work? What is the meaning/importance of the bolded passages? We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds Ralph Waldo Emerson „Nature” The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation Henry David Thoreau ‘’Walden’’ The text is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and a manual for self-reliance. Written while being isolated. People don’t have purpose, they don’t lead lives of perfect happiness, people compare themselves with others, they don’t know what they want... Even the poor student is taught only political economy while that economy of living, which is synonymous with philosophy is not even sincerely professed in our colleges Henry David Thoreau ‘’Walden’’ There are nowadays professors of philosophy, but not philosophers. Yet it is admirable to profess because it was once admirable to live. To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but so to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity, and trust Quote written by Henry David Thoreau, from first chapter of ‘’Walden’’ called ‘’Economy’’. The point of Thoreau's book Walden is to give us his philosophical views of how you should live your life. in "Economy," Thoreau uses materialistic terms to refer to non-materialist values, making fun of the capitalists in the process. Thoreau understood that philosophy is not be found simply in our thoughts, but in our actions When the young woman—the mother of this child—stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress(...) On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread, appeared the letter A. ‘’The Scarlet Letter’’, Nathaniel Hawthorne The novel tells the story of Hester Prynne who conceives a daughter through an affair and then struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. The first description of the scarlet letter in the novel shows that the letter is made with so much care and attention to detail, as if it does not represent a punishment, but a medal of honor. And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted—nevermore! ‘’The Raven’’ by Edgar Allan Poe The main themes of Edgar Allan Poe's narrative poem “The Raven” are devotion, loos and lingering grief that cannot be diminished. ... In addition, the narrator starts to venture about what the bird means by “Nevermore”. The narrator is beginning to take the black bird seriously. ‘’And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting, on the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door’’; means that his disconsolate attitude is to be his lot to the end of his days. The speaker is looking for any kind of hope that maybe he can see his true love once again. The speaker of the poem is a man who is troubled by the memories of his lost love, Lenore, and of his impending death. “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted—nevermore!” (106, 107) indicates the speaker knows he has the possibility of dying soon. Realism What was American Realism? Provide the socio-historical context for its emergence, list its important features and the names of authors you would associate with it. American realism was a style in literature which emphasized everyday life and ordinary things, people. Mark Twain was named as a father of American realism. It began after romanticism, and developed further at the end of the Civil War. Who wrote Moby Dick and why is it an important novel? What is it about? Herman Melville wrote it. He tells the story of a man, Ishmael, who decides to embark on a whaling expedition. He joins captain Ahak, who wants revenge on the whale, and together they try to kill him. It’s an important novel, because of its wildness, unpredictability, and subversiveness Naturalism Who represents naturalism in the 19th century American literature? Theodore Dreiser, Stephen Crane, Jack London List some characteristics of naturalist writing and some of its frequent themes • • • • • • •

pessimism, unhappy endings, tragedies influence of social environment heredity and human nature poorness Darwin’s theory realism laws of nature

What is “The Red Badge of Courage” about? It’s about a young soldier, who after being ashamed of escaping from the field of battle, fight with his cowardice, and try to fulfill his dreams of glory. In whose works does Mississippi play a big part? Why is this river so important? Mississippi play a big part in Mark Twain’s works, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The river is important for Twain because he grew up on Mississippi. His love for the river is evident in his novels. His own experiences on the Mississippi river inspired him to create some of his books

What is determinism and what is its importance for naturalism? Determinism is philosophical view that all events are completely determined by pre-existing causes. Determinism refers to the idea that the future is already determined, and naturalism refers to the idea that everything in the world occurs naturally. Compare the role of nature in the writings of American Transcendentalists and naturalists American Transcendentalist believed that nature can help us improve spiritually and help us connect to the rest of the world. However, Naturalists see nature as a self-sufficient entity. It is self-determined and governed by its own laws. Why was Kate Chopin’s The Awakening an important text of early feminism? What is this book about? The story centers around one woman's transformation from traditional housewife and mother to an individual with a sense of self-awareness and an independent purpose beyond her family. It was noted as one of the first feminist works in American literature. Who wrote these words and what is the title of this work? What is the meaning/importance of the bolded passages? A green and yellow parrot, which hung in a cage outside the door, kept repeating over and over: “Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi! That's all right!” He could speak a little Spanish, and also a language which nobody understood, unless it was the mocking-bird that hung on the other side of the door, whistling his fluty notes out upon the breeze with maddening persistence. Kate Chopin, ‘’The Awakening’’ The plot centers on Edna Pontellier and her struggle between her increasingly unorthodox views on femininity and motherhood with the prevailing social attitudes of the turn-of-the-century American South. CENTURY / HISTORICAL PERIOD

AUTHOR

Henry David Thoreau Transcendentalism Margaret Fuller (19th c.) Ralph Waldo Emerson

Edgar Allan Poe Romanticism (19th c.)

Herman Melville

IMPORTANT WORKS “Walden; or, Life in the Woods" “Woman in the 19th Century”

COMMENTS (CHARACTERISTICS OF TEXT, BACKGROUND INFO) a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings

“Nature” “The Masque of the Red Death”

you cannot find the shelter while attacked by virus

“The Raven”

raven is a symbol of connection with life after death; he has news from heaven

“Dream-Land” “The Fall of the House of Usher” “The Landscape Garden” “Moby Dick” "Battle-pieces and Aspects of the War: Civil War Poems" "Portent" (from Battle-pieces)

madness, family, isolation, metaphysical identities; dark, gothic atmosphere, tension nature should be slightly artificial, close to original symbolist novel, dedicated to Hawthorne

John Brown - Holy Martyr, died for the cause, symbol that something is coming

"Misgivings" (from Battlepieces) "Shiloh: A Requiem (April, 1862)" (from Battle-pieces) "The Scarlet Letter" Nathaniel Hawthorne

"The House of the Seven Gables" "The Blithedale Romance"

a requiem, commemorating people who are dead return to Puritanism, analyzed as symbolist novel, connection between sin and crime; four characters, names explain whom we deal with; forest as extra character about young people who plan to get married but couldn't, because of conflict between two families (Romeo & Juliet vibe) has connection to transcendentalists; new England, utopian community, brook farm;

Ambrose Bierce “241”

“449” Emily Dickinson

“712”

Walt Whitman

Reconstruction

Henry Timrod Ellen Glasgow John de Forrest Thomas Dixon

"Drum-Taps" "Leaves of Grass" "A Sight in Camp in the Daybreak Gray and Dim" (from "Leaves of Grass") "O Captain! My Captain!" (from "Leaves of Grass") “Ode”

William Dean Howells

"Novel-writing and Novelreading: An Impersonal Explanation"

Mark Twain

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

Realism

agony is truth, you cannot fake death A person has died for beauty and is in a tomb. The person in the next tomb has died for truth. The person who died for truth tells the person who died from beauty that they died for the same thing. They talk until the moss covers their names and their lips. speaker seems to welcome death and compliment him on his manners and appealing personality. Together, they ride past a comforting landscape and seemingly every-day life, until they arrive at a rather peculiar house . collection of poems collection of poems

About the death of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (President when Civil War was going on) commemorating to something that is gone novels of propaganda novels of propaganda, racist writer loves accuracy and precision, and says that an artist should apply it to his / hers work, beauty is the truth of human experience, writing about life as it is description of a journey, carries many elements; teenager who is supposed to be educated by two ladies, but he hates education and wants to escape, has a lot of mistakes (written by

uneducated child); realism relies on the truth of language “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" "Innocents Abroad"

Kate Chopin

"The Prince and the Pauper" "The Awakening" “The Portrait of a Lady"

Henry James "The Europeans"

"The Red Badge of Courage"

Stephen Crane

“War is Kind” “Do not weep, maiden, for war is kind" (from “War is Kind” "A Man Said to the Universe"

“The Open Boat” Naturalism

"Maggie: A Girl of the Streets" Theodore Dreiser

“Sister Carrie" "An American Tragedy" “The Valley of the Moon"

novel about a group of American visiting Europe; comparison of cultures, minds of American and European which become a source of humor; example of feminist fiction from 19th c. novel about Miss Archer who is an orphan who comes from America to Europe. She encounters many European people - comparison between American and Europe; long sentences that especially describe the society, atmosphere and people story of a teenager who dreams to join the battle, as a romantic event, but the moment it happens he escapes because he is scared. Impressionistic naturalism – use of color collection of poems author tries to show certain irony, sarcasm about the war as a brave event that only had heroes loneliness, as man is a lonely creature in this world, nobody cares about an individual; individual often fights, loses, sometimes wins character seeking for help from anybody does not receive it, is left alone - bleak, pessimistic picture of human being in the world about prostitute - obscene subject, many publishers did not want to publish the novel a worker in the factory who became a lover of millionaire, later destroyed by him (manipulation) most successful novel, also turned into a film Californian novel; allusion to the American Dream, promised place

“The Sea-Wolf; The Call of the Wild"

adventure stories

"Martin Eden"

typical naturalistic novel; an average young man, who wants to be a successful writer. He falls in love, but in the end commits suicide. Important to him was success in personal life. His love/family life was a failure, he stopped believing in other successes and kills himself.

Jack London...