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Jun 13, 1500
Native American Myths: Characteristics of Native American Literature
Oral tradition which involved myths were passed down by the Native Americans. Questions about the origins of the world including how humans and animals fit in the world , were clarified in Native American literature. The oral traditions that storytellers passed down focused on the history of the challenges, such as the migrations that Native American groups dealt with. In addition, Native American life was understood through the writings of explorers. -
Jun 13, 1500
Native American Myths: Beliefs and Values
Beliefs: Culture directly contributed to Native American beliefs. They specifically respect the elders because they believe that they have kept the culture alive as well as having the tendency to answer to every question there is. Values: Native Americans value silence because they believe it offers a positive direction in life. In addition, they value patience, the act of listening, practicing, and cautioning. -
Jun 13, 1500
Native American Myths: Philosophy
Philosophy: The philosophy of Native Americas presents how God’s creation and the people around us are treated. Native Americas saw Mother Earth as being honored and protected rather than dishonored and abused. As for women, they were known to be given respect and looked upon sacredly. Men are notified upon Native American philosophies in order to be better in life in terms of their roles. -
Period: Jun 14, 1500 to
Native Americans
Before the Europeans arrived to America, a majority of American Indians considered the Americas as their home. Societies in America were made up of 3-4 thousand people and they each had a history and culture of their own. Europeans and Americans first interacted through trade. Soon enough, reliance upon each other formed and that led to European settlement. Furthermore, Europeans were responsible for distributing smallpox which of course had not been present before. -
The Sky Tree (Cont)
Of course Aataentsic goes after her mission but the Sky Tree ends up falling through a hole and she decides to go after it. The animals construct an island on the turtles back, what is now the Earth. The Sky Tree and Aataentsic land on this new Earth. -
The Sky Tree
The Native American people of the eastern woodlands also known as the Hurons, came up with a creation myth named The Sky Tree. The Sky Tree provided food for all the people that lived in Sky Land. Aataentsic is notified by her husband who is the chief of Sky Land, to cut down the Sky Tree. The chief is ill and he believes that the fruit on top of the Sky Tree will heal him... -
Puritans Come to New England
In Plymouth, Massachusetts, the first English Puritans arrived in 1620. They established a new society with their value of self-reliance. In 1620, Puritans sought religious freedom and that was the reasoning behind why they arrived in New England. Their values contributed to their formation of a new society. In Salem, Massachusetts, 150 people were accused of witchcraft in 1692. The officials of the community were apprehensive and decided they needed to do something about it. -
Puritans Come to New England (CONT)
Puritanism was a reform movement based on religion and took place in the Church of England during the late 16th century. Beliefs: Puritans believed in the dominance and righteousness of God. They said God was the key to a successful ending and that the sign of wealth came from God’s favor. Values: Puritans valued the divine law and moderation, faith, hard work, and a perfect world. In addition, discipline, self-reliance, and industriousness were part of their values as well. -
Puritans Come to New England (CONT)
Literature: The puritans used the Bible as a guide for their writing. They found similarities between the events that happened in their own lives to the events that were written in the Bible. Puritans called their style of writing ‘plain style’ and it was described as simple with the use of everyday speech. -
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Puritanism
In the 17th century, the Bible served as a model for Puritan writing. Their style of writing was called plain style and it's described as a use of everyday speech with simplicity. Puritan literature found importance through diaries and history. This was due to the belief that God’s work had been recorded in these works of literature. Puritans are known for their hard work and their strive for a perfect world. They believed that God’s true law was within the Bible and they valued discipline. -
Mary Rowlandson's Captivity
Mary Rowlandson narrates a story named “A Narrative of the Captivity…” of her experience that began on February 10, 1675. In this narrative, she describes her thoughts and emotions as everything is happening. It takes place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the story starts out by Rowlandson being attacked and held captive by Indian captors for as long as eleven weeks. During her emotional journey, she has her daughter Sarah with her and soon she dies in her mother’s arms. -
Mary Rowlandson's Captivity (CONT)
Mary relied on her faith towards God to help her get through the tough times. Whenever she doubted herself or felt as if she couldn’t carry on, her faith in God gave her hope and strength to help her go on. Rowlandson was given a Bible and she felt comforted in a sense. Later on in her narrative, Mary was released and she was reunited with her husband. -
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Romanticism
In the early 19th century, Americans did not yet develop a cultural identity of their own. Romantic and transcendentalist writers established a form of literature that revolved around imagination, admiration of nature, feeling, and individualism. In America, Romanticism portrayed the futuristic outlook in society and how people see themselves. -
Beliefs, Values, Characteristics
They believed that nature is a guide and it nourishes the soul. They also believed organicism instead of the rules of neoclassicism. They valued Democracy, finding a spark with nature and one’s self. Romantic writing was characterized by feeling, emotion, views of the world, and self. Dark romanticism was characterized as evil and it focused on death and dark settings. -
Lyceum Movement
In 1826, the Lyceum movement began to flourish and initially began in Millbury, Massachusetts. The movement had ambitions such as training teachers, creating museums, educating adults, and establishing social reforms.
Writing during this time: Transcendentalist writers came about and their writing focused on the universe, God, and self. They believed that God could be found in nature as well as having the ability to work through it. -
Nature - Ralph Waldo Emerson
In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature”, he uses Romantic characteristics such as, nature to give the readers an insight on what it’s about. In his essay, he clearly described the characteristics of nature that appealed to him. He used imagery to talk about the scenes of nature and how it was viewed through different generations in life. In addition, he clearly had a love for nature by using positive and descriptive words and using metaphors to make the reader think what nature means to them. -
Expanding Nation
As the Industrial Revolution arrived, it affected the lives of people in terms of work and life itself. With all the new machinery that was introduced, Americans began to move with the help of it. Immigration was common and led to increasing populations as well as disease and crime which made it difficult to survive. Writing during this time began to reflect the Industrial Revolution. During this time period, Romantic writers saw the city portraying immortality, death, and corruption. -
From Walden, or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau in “Life in the Woods“, talks about living in isolation at Walden Pond. In the beginning, Thoreau builds his home alone with the help of others to avoid the rain from the rainstorm. He described living alone and the benefits of it. Thoreau mentions that he moves constantly because he feels that he has more lives to live until he reaches the point of succession. Furthermore, he explains that if one isolates themselves from society, they will live the life they imagined. -
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Realism
The United States was introduced to wealth and the title as a world power due to the development of industry. The Progressive Movement appeared and mended the community, businesses, and politics of America. Romantic writers transitioned into realists and their style of writing changed by writing about events that portrayed everyday life and human behavior. -
Beliefs, Values, Characteristics
Realists believed that humans must grow and alter their world’s or they would be held against those things. They also believed in the seeking of the behavior of humans and they valued the celebration of an individual. Realist writers focused on behavior and used local color which was used to represent the speech and customs of a group of people that come from different regions. -
Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
In Mark Twain’s “Life on the Mississippi”, he explains his love for riverboats and describes how he was taught to navigate the river through New Orleans. He struggled with the memorization of the pathway of the river because there was a vast array of ways to navigate. The speaker compares the navigation to a book; there was a new story everyday with meaningful pages that could not be avoided. He adds a humoristic element in the story and also includes sarcasm throughout the dialogue. -
Settling in the West
After the Civil War, an immense amount of Americans moved to the West due to the accessible lands, farms, and mines. Immigrants flourished throughout the United States as factories and cities in the East were being filled. Realism during this time initially came from regionalism which revolved around particular geographic settings. -
Reforms Changing Society
Due to the uncontrollable industrialism, the congested cities and social imparity were longing for reform. This desire was a part of the progressive Era. President Theodore Roosevelt played a role in politics in term of problems of society. The progressive movement took part as an aid to help governments and businesses become more positive and respondent. The literature during this time revolved around science and natural laws of the universe. -
We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar
In Dunbar’s poem “We Wear the Mask”, he explains how the African Americans felt on the inside as well as the outside. On the outside, they wore their mask that portrayed happiness and smiling expressions even though it was all a lie. On the inside, they were tearing and sighing. The African Americans struggled with their identity and the only way they were able to cover it up was to wear the mask that represented a cheerful vibe. -
Chicago by Carl Sandburg
In Carl Sandburg’s poem “Chicago”, he talks about the liveliness and industrial elements of Chicago. In the beginning of the poem, Sandburg initially talks about the careers and the city itself. He then starts to explain how people view the city of Chicago as a brutal character and is trying to convince the reader that Chicago is not what everyone thinks it is. In conclusion, Sandburg is trying to say that even though Chicago may be seen as a place that isn’t worthy, it’s still worth something. -
Beliefs, Values, and Characteristics
Modernist valued and believed in freedom. They also believed in experimenting with new styles and figuring out new ways to think. Characteristics of modernist writing focused on the struggles that Americans went through to accomplish their goals and dreams. In addition, modernist writers based their writings on isolation and loneliness. -
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Modernism
As World War I emerged, the United States began to alter politically, spiritually, and socially. Every decade, violence was present and traditions were subsided. As a result, the characteristics of these alterations were found in the new American literature, modernism. -
Birches by Robert Frost
Robert Frost’s poem “Birches”, constantly uses metaphors to compare the reasons as to why the trees are bent. In the beginning of the poem, Frost explains how he prefers to think the trees are bent due to people swinging on them when in reality, they’re bent because of ice storms. He begins to explain how he was once a swinger on the birch trees and how he wishes he could go back. In addition, Frost talks about the positive balance between swinging up to heaven and then swinging down to Earth. -
The Jazz Age
During the Jazz Age, the value of cars were reduced as well as other goods which left the middle class in good hands. Younger women began to dress and style their hair modernly and women were given the right to vote as well. 800 films were created every year and were released in movie palaces and every week, about sixty million people in America would continuously attend the movies. It was a very energetic time period for Americans because a lot of pleasure was introduced. -
Dreams Fading
As a result of the Stock Market crash in 1929, an immense amount of Americans were unemployed. American dreams were crushed since people had no hope of improvement. The Americans based their lives on progress and opportunity. Literature during this time ranged from novels and journals and they all conveyed a message about the emotional destruction of the Great Depression. Writers during this time grew interested in the unconscious mind and they would use their techniques to emulate thoughts.
