There are many different definitions of literature. Literature to some would be any written work that holds a meaning. For others, literature may be just any written work. Neither of these should be the definition of literature. Literature should be a piece of art, not a pamphlet or a sermon preaching souls to hell. The beginnings of American literature are hard to classify as literature. The country was just beginning and filled with immigrants whom still read and wrote about their home country. Pieces such as Christopher Columbus’s “Journal of the First Voyage to America”, Thomas Harriot’s “A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virgina,” and Johnathon Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” are not what should be considered literature. Sermons, travel journals, and pamphlets are not literature. …show more content…
These are pieces written from different times of American history, but they have a story to tell. They were written with a purpose and are art. Nonfiction works such as Equiano are literature because of the content and purpose. Bradstreet wrote her poetry to tell the story her heart needed to tell. She wrote about her love for her husband and her loss of material possessions. Subjects that were very much taboo in her time. Equiano wrote his autobiography to tell the story of his life. He painted a vivid image of his life as a slave and how he overcame all odds. Irving, Hawthorne, Poe wrote pieces of fiction. They wrote the stories that they thought needed to be told for whatever reason. They wrote for art, for joy, and for
As a precursor, the common understanding needs to be reached that: literature is an art, and has many mediums. Medium is the material or technique with which an artist works (Dictionary.com), for example: photographs, pastels, canvas, paper, ink, etc... There are technical, recreational, and otherwise artistic uses for all mediums. A small child taking pictures of a puppy with a disposable camera, a reporter taking precise pictures of a sporting event, and an artist taking close-up pictures of the dew as it drips off a tree are all different uses of the same medium in photography. Literature can be created with many different intentions and reasons, but the attempt to determine that something is not art based off of the motivation or intentions of the artist is quit meaningless.
In the first few weeks of class we have discussed the thought and religion of the early people that first began the development of our counrty. As we have looked at the literature in class the works of these writers seem to be simlar in that each one talks about a higher being that these people all worshipped. However, that is where the comparisons would end. One of the writings that I found interesting was that of Jonathan Edwards. Born in 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut, Jonathan Edwards lived at a time when the Calvinistic Puritanism of the American colonies, particularly New England, was giving way to thoughts coming out of Europe. We had discussed in one of first classes the reason that so many of the laws and rights found here in the United States were the same as in Europe. The reason was for this is because that is where the people of early America came from. This is the reason for the large population of people believing in these thoughts and beliefs coming from Europe.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is an eye-opening sermon to many and an even greater eye opener to the unbelieving. Not only is it seen as controversial for the time, but many people disagreed with it. The entire sermon seemed to be based on one or two verses from the Bible, and many thought they were not used in the proper context. There were many emotions during the sermon that need to be explored further.
Jonathan Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is moving and powerful. His effectiveness as an eighteenth century New England religious leader is rooted in his expansive knowledge of the Bible and human nature, as well as a genuine desire to "awaken" and save as many souls as possible. This sermon, delivered in 1741, exhibits Edwards's skillful use of these tools to persuade his congregation to join him in his Christian beliefs.
Jonathan Edwards is able to use powerful scare tactics to convince his congregation to undergo an emotional conversion. Edwards is a Christian preacher and theologian who stimulated the “Great Awakening.” Edwards is known for using powerful language; he creates images of absolute horror and images of delight. Edwards uses specific wording that lingers in his listeners mind. In Jonathan Edwards’s sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards’s use of negative imagery, negative diction, and positive imagery and diction is able to convince the congregation to undergo an emotional conversion.
...n American Literature. By Henry Louis. Gates and Nellie Y. McKay. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2004. 387-452. Print.
Donaldson, Susan V. "Literature." The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Regional Cultures: The South. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2004. Credo Reference.
What is literature? It is writing that conveys meaning and ideas after analyzation. Great forms of literature can entertain for generations and still be relatable. Allowing people to express himself and spread their morals through the written word. One special quality that good literature has is that the deeper you go into a book the more meaning you pull out. Throughout the course of the freshman year we read three novels, The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Monkey Bridge. This three form of literature after reading, and analyzing them, helped us better understand yourself, and the world.
Search for Innocence in American Modernism. American Literature from its very beginning has been centered around the theme of innocence. The Puritans wrote about abandoning the corruption of Europe to find innocence in a new world. The Romantics saw innocence and power in nature and often wrote of escaping from civilization to return to nature. After the Civil War, however, the innocence of the nation was challenged.
"It is one of the blessings of this world that few people see visions and dream dreams" (Hurston). An author, especially during the Harlem Renaissance which immediately followed World War One, is someone who took their dream, acted upon it, and made it into something tangible on paper. An author takes their thoughts and creates something beautifully unique each and every time. Being an author takes a lot of strength in order to find your place in the overpopulated industry of up and coming authors-to-be. In any industry, not just writing, it takes a while to find one's special voice and style. A well respected author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston wrote
From the very beginning of creating America as a country, American literature was formed from writing letters with different languages to describe the new land and nation until writers wrote novels, poems, sermons, and narratives. By the mid - nineteen century, American literature stepped into a new realm, and many different ideas including economic, religious and political reforms caused big changes in American literature, which affected American society as well. There were many far-famed abolitionist writers in American society that wrote different passages about slavery, and they fought against slavery in their writings. These writers described the condition of African American slaves in the plantation region and made narratives of fugitive
How does American literature shape American culture? America, a baby nation compared to many other countries, has shaped itself into one of the most politically and technically advanced places in the world. The definition of American Literature is any literary work written in, or about The United States. The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, The Narrative of the Life of Fredric Douglass and various other works of literature are all pieces of American literature that have helped shape American society.
Generally speaking, the two most frequently used genres in literature are fictional and non-fictional. Having said this, fictional and non-fictional literature are distinct regarding their purpose as well the literary devices they use. Literary devices are specific language methods which writers use to form text that is clear, interesting, and unforgettable. Fictional literature, for instance, is something that is made up; however, non-fictional is factual. Furthermore, non-fictional works of literature such as literary essays usually convey a message using literary devices that differ than those used in fictional literature such as short stories, which are meant to amuse its readers. Literary essays uses literary devices such as description,
In order to see how cultural and historical situations affect literature throughout history, it is important to get a brief history on each era discussed in this paper. The first era we will be reviewing will be writings from 1865-1914. The Civil War was just ending in 1865. America lost over a half of million Americans in the war. The nation was in a state of disorder and the south was devastated. Nevertheless, the country prospered. America became industrialized and saw innovations such as; the railroads, telegraph, telephone, and electricity. The population of the United States had also started to increase due to immigration.
Literature is creative writing of recognized artistic value. Literature represents the very best of human expression. We read and celebrate Literature for many reasons. A few of these reasons are,- to be inspired, to be delighted, to embark on incredible ventures and others.