The Progression of American Lit

1. The Progression of American Lit Action and Reaction

2. The Colonial Period • 1600’s – 1790’s • Founding societies • Non-fiction documents: Life documents (sermons, letters, speeches, political docs) • Age of reason, logic, rhetoric

3. Reaction: The Ball Bounces

4. Reaction: The Pendulum Swings

5. The Romantic Period • 1790’s – 1850’s • Westward Expansion • Fiction and Poetry • Individualism and anti-society • Nature • Imagination

6. Transition COLONIAL • 1600’s – 1790’s • Founding societies • Non-fiction documents: Life documents (sermons, letters, speeches, political docs) • Age of reason, logic, rhetoric ROMANTIC • 1790’s – 1850’s • Westward Expansion • Fiction and Poetry • Individualismand anti-society • Nature • Imagination

7. Transition Colonial Romantic • Society VS Individuals • Non-fiction VS Fiction and Poetry • Life documents VS Imaginative works • Reason& logic VS Imagination • Man-made VS Natural

8. Reaction: The Pendulum Swings BACK

9. Transition CIVIL WAR LIT • 1850’s - 1900 • Realism: Daily life, limited freedom of choice • Naturalism: Individual at the mercy of circumstance and nature (extreme realists) • Industrialization • Dialect: Real language • Regionalism: Customs ROMANTIC • 1790’s – 1850’s • Westward Expansion • Fiction and Poetry • Individualismand anti-society • Endless possibilities of man • Nature • Imagination

10. Realism • Limited freedom of choice of individuals, but they still have limited control of life; good and bad endings • Daily life in real language • Real people; real settings; real situations Naturalism • Individual has NO control of life; at the mercy of nature and surroundings; most stories have BAD endings • Daily life in real language • Real people; real settings; real situations