American Literature: From Native American Oral Tradition to Modernist

American Literature has changed in many ways since America’s beginnings and the Colonial Period. Each era is marked by unforgettable literature and authors whose writings reflect the eras in which they lived sometimes expressing the very social and cultural contexts in which the author lived. The periods of American Literature begin with the Colonial period and are followed by the writers of the Revolutionary period, The Romantics, the Realists, Naturalists and Modernists.

We first encounter Early American literature with a piece of Native American writing which was transcribed from oral tradition. The Iroquois Creation Story gives a vivid look into Native American Creation Stories and the values and beliefs of Native Americans (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 17). Much like the story of Genesis in the Christian Bible, the story serves as an explanation for creation and the dualism of good versus bad. All too soon, the white man came some would say and notable Englishmen named John Smith comes to mind and his colony of Jamestown.

John Smith’s writings supply some of our earliest American literature and detail Smith’s perspective, and perhaps his fancies of his explorations and encounters. As a result, Smith’s writings become Jamestown’s main record (American Literature-1991). Although once accepted as factual history, it is widely agreed upon that Smith romanticized many of his encounters and explorations in his accounts.

During the Colonial period, much of our American literature was written from the Puritan perspective. These authors focused their writing on a “full awareness of the importance of Worshipping God” and “the dangers” a soul faces on earth (American Literature-1991). The authors of this time include William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet, Cotton Mather and John Winthrop. John Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity” was a sermon given on board a ship to the new world; it gave detailed instruction to the passengers on board in how they should behave themselves as Christian models (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 76).

The eighteenth century brought with it enormous change. America was changing economically, socially and philosophically. With an emphasis on the “intellectual”, people began looking at the world more scientifically as well as exploring psychology (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 151). We get a glimpse into these changing times through writer’s like Sarah Kemble Knight and her journey from Boston to New York detailing provincial America (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 162). In addition, the eighteenth century brought with it the beginning of the destruction of the cultural traditions of Native Americans.  Many become unsuccessfully assimilated or convert to Christianity as in Samson Occom: A Short Narrative of My Life ( The Norton Anthology of American Literature 210). At age seventeen Occom was “enabl’d to put my trust in him alone for Life and Salvation” referring to the Christian God in his autobiography (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 210).

Next American literature moves towards Realism and Mark Twain entertains us with his “regional” flavor. America moved quickly from an agricultural nation to an industrial nation and with the change came new problems and issues. As more work was created, cities grew, immigration began and urban issues such as overcrowding, unsanitary conditions among poor labor conditions influenced American perspective (American Literature-1991). From this era, come the likes of Mark Twain, Jack London and Davis. Davis’ piece “Life in the Iron Mills” shows us the gritty side of industrialization through the eyes of a female author. Davis writes, “The idiosyncrasy of this town is smoke. It rolls sullenly in slow folds from the great chimneys of the iron foundries” bringing us to the very scene in her story (The Norton Anthology of American Literature 1227).

As our literary choices in America grew, new perspectives entered as diverse as the people who wrote them yet most speak of the human condition in some way. Realism and Naturalism flourished as the country grew and more people became “aware of the importance of large economic and social forces” (American Literature-1991).

Modernism is the latest literary wave we have reached this term. For me, no writer exemplifies this wave of Modernism better than Gertrude Stein. A first read through Stein’s “Tender Buttons” left me confused but after applying Stein’s “abstract meanings” and understanding her technique her poems became and interesting and exploratory read (American Literature-1991). Her writing affirmed literature as an art form. So far, American literature has followed along with America as it has grown from Colonial times to Modernization. Through this literature a better understanding of the American culture is gained.

Works Cited

American Literature-1991. 1991. 13 October 2012 <www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/literature-1991>.

The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York, 2008.