...Conformity was common around the American Society as it assimilated itself in America during World War II. Traditional Gender roles were reestablished Men working as the ones who earn money for the family Females maid and run the household Societies are leading to be consistent and stable as itself Television TV assimilated a trend between the old and young people to find a way to accept each other’s social patterns. “Beat Generation” The Beat Generation rebelled against traditional values. ‘BG’ felt strongly towards being free-spirited and spontaneous. ‘BG’ mainly went out of there way to object the patterns of integrity. Other Musicians...
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...Diego Weaver Mr. Kreamer Honors American Literature 9-19-14 American Gothic Literature American Gothic Literature is a subgenre of gothic fiction. Usually American Gothic Literature is based off things that are included with is the rational facing off against the irrational. Feelings that are included with it are feelings of guilt or insanity. American gothic literature is used to give the reader a thought of an evil presence inside of the story, to get the reader to assume that within all the happiness and good times, a demonic evil presence is still there waiting for its moment to make its grand appearance. There are three different types of American gothic literature: old American gothic literature, New American gothic literature, and southern American gothic literature. The story, “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, it talks about a man who is apparently talking to a raven as it wakes him up in the middle of the night. This is a prime example of American Gothic Literature because the story starts off as a man waking up from his sleep and hearing a knocking on his door, but as the story progresses, the demonic side of gothic literature begins to unravel itself. The raven in this story speaks to the man with one word,” nevermore”, but that one word was all it took for the man to go mad and talk back to the bird. In the story, “The Tell-Tale Heart” the man could not stand the old mad and his eye, so he kills the old man and rejoices when the deed is done. Later on in...
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...ENG 102 06 May 2013 Southern Aspects of Gothic Literature Southern gothic writing is a sub genre of the gothic writhing that was originated and most popular during the 1800s in Europe. Southern gothic is unique to American literature in the way that it relies on supernatural, ironic, or unusual events that guide the plot (wisegeek.org.) Unlike gothic style it uses the tools not for the purpose of suspense, but to explore the social issues, and reveal the cultural character of the American south (people.duke.edu.) It is considered to be “Grotesque” which displays a character whose negative qualities allow the author to highlight unpleasant aspects in southern culture. Its defining feature is that it symbolizes problems created by the established pattern and then questions the established pattern’s morality and ethical justification (wisegeek.org.) Some of the other specific features that this style of literature has, is its freakishness; being an outsider; imprisonment; violence; and even the sense of setting in which it takes place(wisegeek.org.) There is usually an important character that is set apart from the world by some kind of negative way, or disability (wisegeek.org.) Some characters may not follow the established cultural pattern but in the end they are considered heroes. Some kind of difference allows them to see a new way of doing things that help bring people to the dark side. When speaking of imprisonment, it is both literal and figurative (wisegeek...
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...Throughout the years, American Literature has been drastically influenced by the Southern Gothic genre of Literature. This is largely seen through the traits of Southern Gothic that have been adopted and reproduced by American Literature. These traits of Southern Gothic are portrayed through the themes of novels and short stories. These themes include race, good vs. evil, unrequited love, being an outsider, and violence. Some stories that would fall into the true Southern Gothic genre include “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’connor, “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson, and “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner. The short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor is about a family that plans a trip to Florida...
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...Southern Gothic Genre in America The Southern Gothic Genre has shaped the traditions of American Literature. Not only did it shape the traditions, it introduced Americans to the total opposite of the conservative writing style. The traits of this genre includes: violence, unrequited love, race, class, social structure, being an outsider, and good vs. evil. The stories that have been read in class include: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, “The Possibility”, and “A Rose For Emily”. All of these stories fit the traits of the Southern Gothic Genre. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a dark tale about a family who was murdered. The first example of the traits used in this story is violence. A misfit who has escaped from prison murders a whole family in the woods, in cold blood. Another trait used by O’Connor is the trait of unrequited love. The author uses this by mentioning the grandmother remembering that the misfit is the grandmother’s son. Lastly, the trait of being an outsider is used. Flannery uses this trait by making the grandmother an outsider in several instances. Such as when the grandmother wants to go to a different vacation spot than the rest of the family....
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...” William Faulkner personifies this quote. William Faulkner is one of the most influential writers in southern literature, if not U.S. history. He spent most of his time in his home state of Mississippi in the northern counties of Lafayette, Holly Springs, and Marshall County which play a major role in his literature. Almost every book or short story he writes is set in Yoknapatawpha County, which some believe is based on his home county of Lafayette, which is where he spent most of his life. Because of this most of his books have a southern aspect of them and represent to some extent southern culture and hospitality. One of his stories with the most success is “A Rose For Emily.” "A Rose for Emily" is a gothic tale set in the American south. To first understand William Faulkner and his stories, one must understand what the term “Gothic” means. Gothic isn't just a term used in literature but in architecture, and even in art. Generally something is labeled “Gothic” when it is something that inspires dread in you, or a lesser sense or being. In its literal sense in literature it means a story that uses themes like gloom, the grotesque, and the supernatural. It is also usually based in a dark or dreary scene. In the story “A Rose for Emily” it encompasses all three of these themes and settings. First lets look at the setting in how it relates to the Gothic characteristics of “A Rose for Emily.” As previously stated William Faulkner was born, raised, and lived...
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...The traditions of the southern gothic genre helped shape American literature because it helps to exemplify the moral blindness of the south. The traits of southern gothic literature are macabre situations and disturbed personalities. Southern gothic literatures traits are clearly portrayed in the stories through the characters. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor is about how a self righteous grandmother and her family go on a road trip, only to be killed by a man the grandmother says is a good man. The three traits of southern gothic literature exemplified in this story are, being an outsider, disturbed personalities, and good versus evil. The Misfit, the man who killed grandmother and her family, says that he didn't belong in jail because he didn't know why he was there, until the doctor told him. He says that he was different...
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...Southern Gothic Literature Southern gothic literature became famous by Edgar Allen Poe in the 1900’s. Then in the 1920’s and 1930’s William Faulkner made it popular again. Southern gothic literature is the writing about the American south such as, the plantations, dusty downtowns, and aging southern belles. Three southern gothic literature authors that have changed and twisted it to make it their own are William Faulkner, Harper Lee, and Eudora Welty. William Faulkner’s story “A Rose for Emily”, Eudora Welty’s story “A Worn Path”, and Harper Lee's book To Kill A Mockingbird are three southern gothic books that show southern gothic writing. In “A Worn Path”, “A Rose for Emily”, and To Kill A Mockingbird the authors use the element of horror to scare and surprise the reader. Without a doubt there are many ways to make someone think of what you want them to think of just by using words. Eudora Welty makes you think that someone is going to get killed and that the story will end sad. In “A Worn Path” the main character Phoenix goes on this journey to get her grandson’s medication. Phoenix is an old negro woman, she has hallucinations on her journey and isn’t afraid of anything. This story shows horror being used because on her journey she runs into a young white hunter and his dog. When she is walking, she hears a dog and turns around. The dog then jumps up and pushes her into a ditch. The dog’s owner comes along and helps her up. However,when...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird and the southern gothic genre In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee utilizes the genre of southern gothic. The southern gothic genre is the best choice for the story that author Harper Lee wanted to tell. The reason why is because this genre allows the story to have an eerie mood fitting with the narrator, Scout who is a child and sees certain places or people as uncomfortably creepy or as jarring. It also allows the issue of unjust racism in the most inappropriate places, in this novel, it is a court of law which should be the most just and fair place, but is not. This story takes place in the early 1930’s and follows Scout Finch when her father, Atticus begins to defend a black man accused of rape. This man's name is Tom Robinson and this case shows Scout and her brother Jem how atrocious the racist ways of thinking happen and how they affect people in their lives. Southern gothic is a genre of writing found only in American Literature. It...
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...Name Professor English 1B 03 March 2014 Faulkner’s Use of Southern Gothic and Mississippi Faulkner might have well been named as one of the most influential American writers of the South while some critics despised his work. William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi, on September 25, 1897 (“William Faulkner Bio”). His love for poetry early on helped shape his writing style. Faulkner became an accomplished writer producing novels, short stories, poetry, and even dabbled in screen work media. As a Novel Prize laureate, he spent most of his life in Lafayette County, Mississippi. Many of his fictional stories take place in Yoknapatawpha County, a place he created based on the setting in Lafayette. As a native of Mississippi, the American South’s culture had a big influence on him. His inspiration for writing came from his grandfather (Cruz). He not only loved his grandfather but wanted to be just like him. His passion for literature sent him on a journey to the University of Mississippi. While attending school, he worked for The Scream writing comic strips. (Cruz). Faulkner traveled a lot with his father while he was younger. Like most, he had strong Southern values and pride. He seemed to have a different stance on equality and the issues of inequality taking place. Faulkner encouraged equality amongst the citizens. His literature uses several situations where people of race, gender, or class are discriminated against (Cruz). Faulkner’s ability to write seemed...
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...Who was Flannery O’Connor? Flannery O’Connor was a female, American writer and an important voice in American literature, who wrote two novels and multiple short stories throughout her lifetime. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “Good Country People,” Flannery O’Connor showcases a genre of themes throughout her pieces and a style that is interesting and different compared to others. Like most of her short stories, both of these writings are very interesting and narrated in a third person point of view. It is clearly obvious that O’Connor’s influence upon these two short stories illustrates her own version of southern gothic with a twist of religion, much like many of her works. There were many factors to her style of writing but two that she uses were “...distortion and exaggeration…” (Shloss 35). The focus of...
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...Southern Gothic is a form of literature with a style specific to itself. There are many unique elements that’s are characterized only to southern gothic literature. The Southern Gothic style uses traits such as grotesquery and ironic events to judge the morals of the American South. Unlike its similar and older genre, Gothic tools are used not only for the sense of anticipation, but also to discover social issues and show the cultural aspect of the American South. One thing that holds dear to the south is religion. Many southerners claim Christianity, which to them makes their morals right. Southern culture has been and remains commonly and publically more conventional the rest of the United States. Due to the huge agricultural role that the south played in the building of Americas economy, the culture continued to be sacred and covered due the immense land ownership during that time. The societies where small, which led to the development of strong relationships through business, community gatherings and church. The south is known for being the most religious section in the United States. According to Adherents.com the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest denomination, claims roughly 16 million members. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reports that “more than eight in ten people in Mississippi (82 percent) say religion is very important in their lives, making the Magnolia State the most religious according to this measure.” Flannery O’Connor created...
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...PREFACE This major project examines the indispensable desiderata of Transcendentalism in comparison to the Dark Romantics background and how these technicalities prepare this work of art as an influential synthesis of human imagination incorporated with mystic facts. Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism were two literary movements that occurred in America during roughly the same time period (1840—1860). Although the two had surface similarities, such as their reverence for Nature, their founding beliefs were quite different, enough to make one seem almost the antithesis of each other. Moreover one’s genesis is ventured out from other; i.e. Dark Romanticism from the roots of Transcendentalism or precisely the lacunae are best determined for raising up the term called Dark Romanticism. Contents S. No. Page no. Chapter 1.........................................................................................................4-14 Chapter 2.........................................................................................................15-23. Chapter 3..........................................................................................................24-27 Resolution.........................................................................................................28-29 Work Cited................................................................
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...The American Dream, the archetypal notion that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative, is an ideal that most people strive to achieve. Unfortunately, in the past and in modern day, the population that surrounds us has been propelled by conceptions such as racism and gender roles which avert us from obtaining our visions. Classic works of literature including To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, and A Raisin in the Sun accurately display a lack of equality and fair treatment in the sharing of wealth and opportunities by incorporating racism and gender roles into the lives if the characters in the novels. The authors of To Kill a Mockingbird,...
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...------------------------------------------------- William Faulkner William Faulkner (September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was a Nobel Prize-winning American author. One of the most influential writers of the20th century, his reputation is based on his novels, novellas and short stories. He was also a published poet and an occasional screenwriter. Most of Faulkner's works are set in his native state of Mississippi. He is considered one of the most important Southern writers along withMark Twain, Robert Penn Warren, Flannery O'Connor, Truman Capote, Eudora Welty, and Tennessee Williams. While his work was published regularly starting in the mid 1920s, Faulkner was relatively unknown before receiving the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. Since then, he has often been cited as one of the most important writers in the history of American literature. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Biography Born William Cuthbert Falkner in New Albany, Mississippi, he was the eldest son of Murry Cuthbert Falkner (August 17, 1870 – August 7, 1932) and Maud Butler (November 27, 1871 – October 16, 1960). He later changed the spelling of his name to Faulkner. His brothers were Murry Charles "Jack" Falkner (June 26, 1899 – December 24, 1975), author John Falkner (later Faulkner) (September 24, 1901 – March 28, 1963) and Dean Swift Falkner (August 15, 1907 – November 10, 1935). Faulkner was raised in and heavily influenced by the state...
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