Verified Document

American Literature, Like All Other Term Paper

The stories are moving for the dominant cultural reader as well as for future generations of subjugated immigrant groups. This is not to say that all subjugated groups are immigrants, as the experience of the indigenous Native American population must also be seen as expressive of the American literary experience. The transition from an oral tradition to a written tradition has proved a struggle which was shadowed in extreme only by the difficulty this population faced in attempting to be included in the literature of the nation and even more so in the fabric of the social order. In fact a great deal of the Native American literary body is detailing the aspect of transition from the oral tradition to the written tradition, as a marked part of the Native American experience of identity.

The oral tradition is not just speaking and listening, because what it means to me and to other people who have grown up in that tradition is that whole process, that whole process which involves a lifestyle. That whole process of that society in terms of its history, its culture, its language, its values, and subsequently, its literature. So it's not merely a simple matter of speaking and listening, but living that process. (Einhorn, 2000, p. 3)

The tradition of inclusion is still growing and this brings to mind the continued definitions of exclusion, or what cannot be considered American literature. To some degree there is no real answer to this question, as almost anything that can be recorded in words, be they electronic and oral or on paper could be considered American literature, if it is applicable to the human experience of America. That would leave a rather limited answer as to what is not considered American literature, mainly it would be anything, such as visual art or performance art that is not expressed in words or dialogue or is not expressed in literary form. Though one must also exclude travel literature, unless the subsequent author chooses to remain in America and live the American...

One can be an expatriate living in South Africa or the UK and still consider themselves, American as they still have an American experience, even if they are no longer on American soil. What it means to be an American is to hold the cultural values of America, even if that means disagreeing with many of them, (which is of itself an American ideal). To be American literature one would assume that the work is written from this point-of-view, in all its diversity of form and function. American literature, currently reflects diversity and experience of what it means to learn in and about American values and standards, and as has been said previously often as a rejection of those assumptions. American literature must tell the story of an American or a body of Americans.
To be an American writer, before America existed would have meant expressing individual nationalistic transition in all its forms, colonial or otherwise. The importance of American literature is not its setting, exactly though this does play a part it is its expression of personal individual growth of expression and understanding. Those things that get excluded depend to a large degree on the cultural and political climate. Ugly histories have been traditionally excluded, such as those that put an unfavorable light on the founders or the settlers, though this is changing. The inclusion phase of American literature is far from over, though the delay has wreaked havoc on several subgroups and a few generations of former "outsiders."

References

Einhorn, L.J. (2000). Introduction. In the Native American Oral Tradition: Voices of the Spirit and Soul (pp. 1-10). Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Jung, Y. (2004). The New Americanist Intervention into the Canon. American Studies International, 42(2-3), 213.

Levine, L.W. (1996). The Opening of the American Mind: Canons, Culture, and History. Boston: Beacon Press.

McQuade, D. Atwan, R. Banta, M. Kaplan, J. Minter, D. Stepto, R. (1998) Harper American Literature, Single Volume Edition (3rd Edition) New York: Longman.

Jay, G.S. (1997). American Literature & the Culture Wars. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Sources used in this document:
References

Einhorn, L.J. (2000). Introduction. In the Native American Oral Tradition: Voices of the Spirit and Soul (pp. 1-10). Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Jung, Y. (2004). The New Americanist Intervention into the Canon. American Studies International, 42(2-3), 213.

Levine, L.W. (1996). The Opening of the American Mind: Canons, Culture, and History. Boston: Beacon Press.

McQuade, D. Atwan, R. Banta, M. Kaplan, J. Minter, D. Stepto, R. (1998) Harper American Literature, Single Volume Edition (3rd Edition) New York: Longman.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

American Literature Discussion Topics: 1. Discuss Sarah
Words: 1706 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

American Literature discussion topics: 1. Discuss Sarah Orne Jewett Charles Chesnutt contributed local color fiction nineteenth century stories respective regions (Jewett writing New England Chesnutt South). Sarah Orne Jewett and Charles Chesnutt played essential roles in promoting concepts and thinking in general in the regions of New England, and, respectively, the American South. The fact that these people's writings provide suggestive sketches of village life in the U.S. makes it possible

American Literature and the Great Depression When
Words: 1245 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

American Literature and the Great Depression When one considers how the Great Depression affected American Literature, John Steinbeck tends to stick out, if only because his fiction generally discusses the same themes and anxieties that has come to define the Great Depression in the public consciousness. Indeed, Steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath, a realist novel which follows the Joad family as they travel west after they losing their farm to the Dust

American Literature: From Colonialism to
Words: 520 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Writers such as Poe, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne became known as the key figures in the Dark Romantic sub-genre that emerged out of Transcendentalism. American literature also found its voice through poetry during the 19th century, particularly in the works of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. The two poets produced remarkably dissimilar bodies of work. Whitman rose to prominence during the American Civil War with his free verse extolling

American Literature Frederick Douglas' Autobiography
Words: 1321 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Employers are typically accustomed to hiring employees on account of their experience, as a diploma is worthless as long as the person looking for a job has no experience in the field. People are typically unaware of the complexity of a particular act until they actually come to perform the respective act. The main character in Stephen Crane's "A Mystery of Heroism," Fred Collins, is initially unaware of the

American Literature Despite Their Different
Words: 1537 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Although his wife was really upset, and very mean to him, his patience with her and about the severity of the situation, makes him a model person. Not many people actually have this attribute, and although many would wish to attain it, very few do. This adds on to the mythic American persona. Rip Van Winkle was liked by everyone. His sweet, nice characteristics made him a likeable person,

American Literature Allen Ginsberg's Epic
Words: 3556 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

Ginsberg in fact spent some time in a psychiatric ward and his poem Howel makes the implication that his and his contemporaries madness is caused by the madness of society which, due to its infatuation with technology, has become a demon far worse than any found in humanity's collective mythology. Jung argues that in modern society, mythology has not actually disappeared, it has just taken a less noticeable form in

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now