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What Should American Literature Be and Do?
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Please see detailed instructions along with the materials for this assignment in the attached document. Thank you!
Wk 5 - What Should American Literature Be and Do? Top of Form
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Throughout this course you have been reading works that tackle a cluster of related questions: What does it mean to be an American? How should Americans write? What should American literature focus on? Now it is your turn to address this topic.
Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word synthesis paper in which you discuss what role American literature should play in the 21st century, ensure you answer these two interwoven questions:
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- What should American literature be?
- What should American literature do?
Your paper should:
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- Illustrate your points with examples from contemporary literary works. These do not have to be examples of how literature is succeeding; you may provide examples of how American literature is failing to respond to key social needs.
- Focus these questions as tightly as you wish. For example, ask yourself what American literature should be in order to do a particular thing or to accomplish a particular goal. You may also imagine a specific context for your answer, perhaps speaking on behalf of a particular group or organization.
- Address how you feel American literature should be written. Is there a style that is most American?
- Consider broadly the question of what you feel American literature should do. This might include things like what goals American authors should have and what values they should represent in their work. For example, many skilled writers work in advertising. Is selling something a valid goal for American writers?
- Make sense of what American literature is now. Consider how contemporary literature already responds to social trends and existing literary movements.
Incorporate examples from at least 3 authors.
Format your paper according to appropriate course-level MLA guidelines.
LIT/265: Survey of American Literature Since 1860
Contemporary Literature
Robert Hayden
- Robert Earl Hayden. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography, 229-231.
- Hayden, R. (1985). Collected poems.
Adrienne Rich
- Rich, Adrienne (Cecile). (2001). Contemporary Poets, 998-1001.
- Rich, A. (1929-2012). Diving into the wreck.
Gary Snyder
- Snyder, Gary 1930–. (2009). Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, 247-249.
- Snyder, G. (n.d.). Gary Snyder: Online poems.
Sylvia Plath
- Plath, Sylvia. (2003). The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s, 208-210.
- Barrett, A. (2017). The identity in-between: A historical close reading of Sylvia Plath’s “Morning Song.” Oswald Review, 19(1), 66–75.
- Plath, S. (1981). Morning song.
Eudora Welty
- Welty, Eudora (Alice). (2001). Contemporary Novelists, 1035-1037.
- Olson, B. (2007). The ambiguities of gender in Eudora Welty’s “Petrified Man.” Eureka Studies in Teaching Short Fiction, 7(2), 143–151.
- Welty, E. (1992). Petrified man.
John Cheever
- John Cheever. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography, 493-494.
- Morace, R. A. (1999). The swimmer by John Cheever, 1964. Reference Guide to Short Fiction, 1048-1049.
- Cheever, J. (n.d.). The swimmer.
Flannery O’Connor
- O'Connor, Flannery (2000). American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present, 215-216.
- Ditsky, J. (1994). "Good Country People: Overview." Reference Guide to Short Fiction, n/a.
- O’Connor, F. (n.d.). Good country people.
Toni Morrison
- Toni Morrison. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography, 188-190.
- Hardy, S. M. (2002). Recitatif. Short Stories for Students, n/a.
- Morrison, T. (1983). Recitatif.
John Updike
- John Updike. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography, 390-392.
- Updike, J. (n.d.). Returning native.
Philip Roth
- Philip Roth. (2004). Encyclopedia of World Biography, 318-320.
- Steinberg, G. (2005). Philip Roth’s “Defender of the Faith”: A modern midrash. Philip Roth Studies, 1(1), 7–18.
- Roth, P. (1995). Defender of the faith.
Thomas Pynchon
- Pynchon, Thomas. (2004). Contemporary Novelists, 826-828.
- Pynchon, T. (1980). Secret integration.
Raymond Carver
- Runyon, Randolph Paul. Cathedral. (2008). Contemporary Literary Criticism.
- Carver, R. (n.d.). Cathedral.
Alice Walker
- Walker, Alice. (2008). American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present, 189-192.
- Walker, A. (1983). The color purple.
Jhumpa Lahiri
- Lahiri, Jhumpa (1967-). (2005). Major 21st-Century Writers.
- Jhumpa, L. (n.d.) When Mr. Pirzada came to dine.
Multimedia
The African American Tradition
- Beyond Distribution (1998). Excerpt from "Paradise" (02:40) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- LA 8 Distribution (1997). James Baldwin (04:59) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- LA 8 Distribution (1997). Keeping the Harlem Renaissance Alive (02:58) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- The James Agee Films Project (1999). Black Arts Movement: Alice Walker (10:05) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- University of Notre Dame (1999). Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" (3:32) [Video file], Films on Demand.
A Focus on Updike
- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions (2006). John Updike's Narrative Techniques (04:35) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- Thomson Learning (1996). Conformist Society of the 1960s (00:53) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- Thomson Learning (1996). John Updike's "A&P": Early Morning Work (03:30) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
- Thomson Learning (1996). Two Pulitzer Prize Writers Discuss "A&P" (03:23) [Video file]. Films on Demand.
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Essay Sample Content Preview:
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
What Should American Literature Be And Do?
American literature entails all the literary works that writers produce in the United States and its other colonies. American writers reveal various cultural and historical aspects of the country. For that reason, foreigners and scholars in other countries have an opportunity to comprehend the American history and culture. The quest for identity is one of the prevailing themes in American literature, especially in short stories. Notably, American literature is unique as compared to works from other regions and countries. Over the years, American literature writers have fought for the freedom of expression and recognition in society. American literature is a unique form of literary work that contains significant poetry and prose.
American literature originated from the works of various scholars and authors from the United States. The American authors expressed their ideas about social settings through novels, poetry, and other publications. Conversely, authors from England and France use different languages and accents from that of American literature authors. Baym and Robert posit that one of the unique aspects of American literature is that the authors acknowledge history and cultural practices across the United States (27). Generally, American literature is a vital examination that entails teaching on cultural traditions and ethnicities. American literature embodies ideas based on the United States through characters, plot, images, and themes.
American ethnic literature writers characterize literary works based on sophisticated practices. Additionally, they utilize the dialect of interpretation of various ethic topics. Ethnic writers search for narratives that recount the beliefs of antiquated society and dialect of argument. Ethnic literature reveals multiple points of interest regarding the lives of several characters. According to Franco, the respective writers describe authentic narratives from the perspective of the general population (32). Notably, American authors have similar goals that they anticipate to achieve through writings. Although American literature has its roots in English literature, the authors base their arguments on their personality and that of other Americans. Most Americans had a quest to identify their identity and autonomy, thus making American literature unique.
American literature authors realized the need for producing different works based on the culture of the United States following the war of 1812. The art of short story flourished during the postwar period on various topics that reflected the social and cultural relationships across the United States. “Invisible Man” by Raph Ellison was one of the most recognizable novels during the postwar period. Besides, William Gaddis was a prominent author who produced satiric, uncompromising, and colossal books, such as “The Recognition (1955). The authors based their arguments on the themes of capitalism, the legal system, and forgery.
Minimalism is one of the remarkable techniques that American authors apply in their literary works. Accordingly, they have a chance of freeing literature from other predecessors and define identity. Detailed dialogues with little exposition, open-ended conclusions, and ambiguous narration are the significant characteristics of minimalism. The writing strategy blurs the existing distinction between a narrative and the readers. According to American authors, a story takes place in the mind of a reader, who has to become actively involved in imagining the situation of the writer. There...
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
What Should American Literature Be And Do?
American literature entails all the literary works that writers produce in the United States and its other colonies. American writers reveal various cultural and historical aspects of the country. For that reason, foreigners and scholars in other countries have an opportunity to comprehend the American history and culture. The quest for identity is one of the prevailing themes in American literature, especially in short stories. Notably, American literature is unique as compared to works from other regions and countries. Over the years, American literature writers have fought for the freedom of expression and recognition in society. American literature is a unique form of literary work that contains significant poetry and prose.
American literature originated from the works of various scholars and authors from the United States. The American authors expressed their ideas about social settings through novels, poetry, and other publications. Conversely, authors from England and France use different languages and accents from that of American literature authors. Baym and Robert posit that one of the unique aspects of American literature is that the authors acknowledge history and cultural practices across the United States (27). Generally, American literature is a vital examination that entails teaching on cultural traditions and ethnicities. American literature embodies ideas based on the United States through characters, plot, images, and themes.
American ethnic literature writers characterize literary works based on sophisticated practices. Additionally, they utilize the dialect of interpretation of various ethic topics. Ethnic writers search for narratives that recount the beliefs of antiquated society and dialect of argument. Ethnic literature reveals multiple points of interest regarding the lives of several characters. According to Franco, the respective writers describe authentic narratives from the perspective of the general population (32). Notably, American authors have similar goals that they anticipate to achieve through writings. Although American literature has its roots in English literature, the authors base their arguments on their personality and that of other Americans. Most Americans had a quest to identify their identity and autonomy, thus making American literature unique.
American literature authors realized the need for producing different works based on the culture of the United States following the war of 1812. The art of short story flourished during the postwar period on various topics that reflected the social and cultural relationships across the United States. “Invisible Man” by Raph Ellison was one of the most recognizable novels during the postwar period. Besides, William Gaddis was a prominent author who produced satiric, uncompromising, and colossal books, such as “The Recognition (1955). The authors based their arguments on the themes of capitalism, the legal system, and forgery.
Minimalism is one of the remarkable techniques that American authors apply in their literary works. Accordingly, they have a chance of freeing literature from other predecessors and define identity. Detailed dialogues with little exposition, open-ended conclusions, and ambiguous narration are the significant characteristics of minimalism. The writing strategy blurs the existing distinction between a narrative and the readers. According to American authors, a story takes place in the mind of a reader, who has to become actively involved in imagining the situation of the writer. There...
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