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Early American literature consisted mainly of diaries, journals, short stories, and Indian creation stories. Since some of the language used was of older English and other languages, early American literature was difficult to read.The first story I read was Spanish Explorers in the New World. This story was a journal of Cabeza de Vaca’s travels and discoveries in the New World. After having a shipwreck, he and his fellow sailors were made slaves of the Indians. They walked barefoot, bleeding and ate raw meat for food. He also described how one tribe took over land.
De Vaca gave detailed accounts on how the Indians lived which I found interesting. The males lived in the estufas, while women lived in the house. For a proposal, the male would weave a blanket and place it before the female. Spanish Explorers In The New World was interesting because of the detail with the Indians as opposed to other stories which involve no action.The second piece of early American literature I read was The General History. The Jamestown colony as plagued from the beginning by unfortunate circumstances.
While out exploring, John Smith was captured by the Indians. After being brought to many chiefs, John Smith was brought to the emperor of the Pamaunkee. The emperor had planned to kill John Smith at first by placing his head against a rock and bashing it in. Then Pocahontas, the emperor’s daughter, threw her head in the way and prevented his death. The emperor then decided to let Smith live and to have him as a slave. This story also had more action than some other which I read which does make it interesting, but every once in a while it is difficult to understand due to the Old English.
This story was insightful into the lives of one tribe of Indians near Jamestown.The third passage I read was an excerpt from The Bay Psalm Book. In this the Puritans had re-edited the Bible and tried to simplify its words. Their version was modified to rhyme and to have what the Puritans referred to as "plainness.
Thus, Smith was a very proud and boastful man. Before reaching 25, he battled in many areas, such as the Netherlands and Hungary. He fought at sea off the Atlantic coast, where he was captured as a slave. As a slave, he was rough and beaten. The Indians that captured him brought him to their leader named Powhatan. Powhatan didn’t like him, so he threatened him to death and began to plan his death. Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas, fell in love with Smith and gained her fathers trust. He soon became Powhatan’s son. Burned severely in a gunpowder explosion, Smith was sent back to England for recovery. He returns to America in 5 years, only this time to New England.
The extend of most American’s knowledge of early America is of Columbus’ discovery of America for Europe in 1492 and the landing of the Mayflower in Plymouth in 1620. This was true of A Voyage Long and Strange author, Tony Horwitz. Horwitz felt as if there were pieces missing in his picture of early America and set out on a journey that spanned from Canada to the Dominican Republic. The novel starts out with a prologue of Horwitz talking about his own reasons for wanting to learn more of early America and then is broken into three sections Discovery, Conquest, and Settlement. Each section discusses another period in early American history starting with first contact in Vinland and ending with the landing in Plymouth.
Nathaniel Philbrick tells the story of the Pilgrims, beginning with them breaking away from the Church of England, emigrating to Holland, and eventually to America on the Mayflower. He talks about the relationship they had with the "Strangers" or nonbelievers that accompanied them on their adventure. He tells stories about disease, death, deception, and depression. I had never thought about it, but you know some of those people had to be suffering from depression. He tells of joys but mostly of hardships and as he describes some of the first meetings with the Native Americans. His description of the first Thanksgiving is not the same as the pictures I have seen all of my life.
Explores Writings: Explores started to detail their explorations of the new world, they described the americas in a flurry of eager documents. They talked highly on the Native americans that were very nice to them talking about their resources peacefulness and hospitality and talked about their
Mann’s main motive for producing this work of literature was to inform the reader about what life was like as a Native American before the influence of the Europeans. Some topics Mann
man during the firm Christian precepts of the Era in which he lived. As a
There are an infinite number of possible ways to study the development of the American novel. In doing so you invariably have to read a good number of books by American authors. The problem is you can't just walk into the bookstore and pick a few writers, read their novels, and think you understand the way the American novel came about. You have to follow certain guidelines, and read from different time periods to further your understanding. The big question is what novels are worthy of being studied to define the progress of American fiction. What makes one novel more "scholarly" than the rest, and how does it help your understanding.
Exploration narratives were used to describe the discoveries of new places and people back in history. Christopher Columbus was one of the first explorers to write one of these narratives. Columbus wrote about his voyage to a new world and his discovery of America. He used great detail in his writings and hoped it would correctly show his views and ideas about the new world. I believe that Columbus wanted to portray America as being a paradise, which had everything an explorer wanted.
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 Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Henry David Thoreau, Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson, just to name a few.
American literature during the first half of the nineteenth century took many forms and ideas that still effect our ever so changing society today. Henry David Thoreau was among the notable writers during this time, and his impact of American literature will not soon be forgotten. His perseverance, love for nature, and humanitarian beliefs helped to mold the ideas and values of early American history. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12 in 1817. His parents, both abolitionists of slavery, were John and Cynthia Thoreau. During his childhood years his parents, along with Henry’s older siblings John Jr. and Helen, often took the family on long walks though the valleys and hills of Concord. The seeds of Henry’s love for nature were planted during this time. As a young school boy, at the Concord public school and later at the Concord Academy, many of his peers sought after him as loner who took everything too serious. In 1833 Henry’s parents had saved enough money to send him off to college at Harvard University. Even though he barely passed the entrance exam, he would later become one of the top students in his graduating class. In 1836 financial and health problems forced Thoreau to postpone his studies at Harvard and seek a job. He taught school for a semester in Canton, Massachusetts and returned to Harvard in the Spring of 1837. He took a full load of classes that Spring and Summer semesters and graduated in August of 1837. After graduating Thoreau had no idea what he wanted to do with his education. After debating over many different careers he finally concluded that teaching would be his calling. He landed a position at Center School in 1837 in Concord, however he resigned two weeks later after many teachers and students complained of his teaching methods and strictness in the classroom. Over the next year he worked many small jobs around Concord, and also became friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson. The elder Emerson influenced Thoreau in his belief in Transcendentalism. “Thoreau was indelibly marked by his mentor’s philosophy” (Sanborn 122).
via, Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience. Upper Saddle River, N. J.: Pearson, 2010. 1126-233. Print.
There have been a number of influences that have shaped American literature. From the time that Western Europeans founded the country to the inclusion of Native American lore to the contributions of such literary giants as Mark Twain and Carol Sandburg, the composition of American Literature has been both constant and ever changing. In deed as much as America, itself, is a melting pot of diversity within a cultural concern, so too is this considerable diversity a significant aspect of its emerging literature.
Columbus recorded several things about the Americas. He wrote about their characteristics, their trading, their travel methods, the weather, their religion, the landscape, the ground, and some other few things. Columbus wrote that these lands were beautiful, had high mountains, the land contained several rivers, the land was fertile, and the plants were blossoming. He also goes on to talk
Nathaniel Hawthorne was the definitive literary figure throughout the 19th century. He was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts where he developed Puritan values through his experiences and family. His work is still celebrated by a myriad of authors and readers across the world and is regarded as America’s most eminent writers. His short stories such as Rappaccini’s Daughter and My Kinsman, Major Molineux and four novels – The Scarlet Letter, The Blithedale Romance, The Marble Faun, and The House of the Seven Gables reflect Hawthorne’s emotions and American values during the 1800s. Hawthorne is notable for mastering a multitude of themes and techniques such as alienation, initiation, Puritan government, Italian background, good versus evil, self-determination, psychoanalysis, moral slant, ironic view, and symbolism.
During the journey to the New World, many Europeans went to explore this unknown place. They often see the Native Americans as savages, however the Natives are much different than they thought. In each text, La Relacion, Plymouth Plantation and Iroquois Constitution, the Native Americans have many portrayals to the travelers during their journeys in the New World. With the Native Americans different views they are not as seen as savages. In early Native American literature, Native Americans are peacemakers, often making peace with one another, they are also helpful to the ones in need, and compassionate, having sympathy to the ones who are in pain.