国家概况 Chapter 6 literature.ppt

A Brief Introduction The first American writings were written by those first settlers in English colonies. They wrote about their voyages to the new land, about adapting themselves to unfamiliar climates and crops. A Brief Introduction The real American literature began after the American War of Independence and Washington Irving was the first American writer who gained international fame. A Brief Introduction There are several literary periods in American literature: the colonial period, the Romantic period, the Realistic period, and the Modern period. However, within the ages of the Romantic period and the Realistic period, there are the Transcendentalism and the Naturalism respectively, which are characteristic to the American literature.  1.1 The Colonial Period (1607-1775)(cont.) Character of Writings—religious, practical, or historical. American Puritanism—major topic stresses predestination (预言) original sin limited atonement (赎罪) or the salvation (拯救) of a selected few who would receive God’s grace. 1.2 Representative Figures 1.3.1 Benjamin Franklin(1706-1790) Benjamin Franklin was the only writer in the colonial period whose works are read today. He was also the archetype of the American Dream since he rose from a poor little boy to a successful wealthy man. 1.3.2 Benjamin Franklin (cont.) There are very famous sayings in his Poor Richards Almanac. His uncompleted autobiography is perhaps the first real American writing as well as the first real autobiography in English. Autobiography—a record of spiritual growth in addition to self-examination and self-improvement. 2.1 Feature American Renaissance. Character of American writings free expression of emotions , imagination, and passion. exalted (赞美) the individual and the common man. Emphasize liberation of personality revealed unique characteristics of their own and grew on the native lands. 2.2 Writers of Fiction 2.2.1 Washington Irving (1783-1859) “the father of American literatur