...The political science literature of conspiracy theories remains decades old and robust. Beginning with Hofstadter (1964), researchers began to investigate the “paranoid style” of American politics while in the midst of the Cold War and McCarthyism. Although these early investigations helped to build a solid foundation of literature on conspiracism, the focus of this review remains to highlight and synthesize the most recent literature, which will in turn help to address the complex question of this paper. Recent surveys indicate that half of the American population endorses at least one conspiracy theory (Oliver & Wood, 2014). For instance, as of 2015, 36% of American respondents believed that the United States government had either assisted...
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...Romanticism (literature), a movement in the literature of virtually every country of Europe, the United States, and Latin America that lasted from about 1750 to about 1870, characterized by reliance on the imagination and subjectivity of approach, freedom of thought and expression, and an idealization of nature. The term romantic first appeared in 18th-century English and originally meant “romancelike”—that is, resembling the fanciful character of medieval romances. II ORIGINS AND INSPIRATION By the late 18th century in France and Germany, literary taste began to turn from classical and neoclassical conventions (see Classic, Classical, and Classicism). Inspiration for the romantic approach initially came from two great shapers of thought, French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau and German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. A The Romantic Spirit Rousseau established the cult of the individual and championed the freedom of the human spirit; his famous announcement was “I felt before I thought.” Goethe and his compatriots, philosopher and critic Johann Gottfried von Herder and historian Justus Möser, provided more formal precepts and collaborated on a group of essays entitled Von deutscher Art und Kunst (Of German Style and Art, 1773). In this work the authors extolled the romantic spirit as manifested in German folk songs, Gothic architecture, and the plays of English playwright William Shakespeare. Goethe sought to imitate Shakespeare's free and untrammeled style...
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...American history is the bases for America now. We need to understand the building blocks of our world today, so we don’t make the same mistakes that we did from the past. Everyone should learn from the early settlers mistakes and not also repeat them. In politics people learn from histories mistakes so they will not get overturned and there will not be any civil wars. The role of literature in understanding the origins of American ideology is how freedom of religion, economic struggle, and the government is the same from 200 years ago to the present day. The economy 200 years ago would fluctuate from high to low just how it fluctuates now; people traded and tried anything to make a profit and sometimes the Europeans would give the Indians an unfair trade, just like how people today are capitalists in America and the bosses will do anything to increase their profits even if that gives the workers a lower wage for the same job. When people discover new things they are likely to make money off their discovery. “While the ships stayed, our allowance was somewhat bettered by a daily proportion of biscuit, which the sailers would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us, for money, sassafras, furs, or love” (Smith 67). Indians and Europeans are able to make profit off goods that the other group doesn’t make. Just like in our society today we buy China’s products that we don’t make and they buy ours that they don’t make. The foundation of our government elected officials is the government...
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...History of Philippine Literature in English I. Pre-Colonial Period - Consisted of early Filipino literature passed down orally; oral pieces have a communal authorship – it was difficult to trace the original author of the piece since oral literature did not focus on ownership or copyright, rather on the act of storytelling itself; - Many oral pieces became lost in the wave of the new literary influence brought about by the Spanish colonization; however, according to the Philippine Literature: A History & Anthology, English Edition (Lumbera, B. & Lumbera C.), the pre-colonial period of Philippine literature is considered the longest in the country’s history; - Literature in this period is based on tradition, reflecting daily life activities such as housework, farming, fishing, hunting, and taking care of the children as well; - Oral pieces told stories which explained heroes and their adventures; they attempted to explain certain natural phenomena, and, at the same time, served as entertainment purposes; - Pre-colonial literature showed certain elements that linked the Filipino culture to other Southeast Asian countries (e.g. oral pieces which were performed through a tribal dance have certain similarities to the Malay dance); - This period in Philippine literature history represented the ethos of the people before the arrival of a huge cultural influence – literature as a cultural tradition...
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...The History of Children’s Literature EDP1: Task 1 Janet Blake Western Governors University Children’s literature is defined many different ways. It can be simply defined as a book that a child reads, or as Kiefer defined it “as the imaginative shaping of life and thought into the forms and structures of language.” (Kiefer, 2010, p.5) Literature has been around for hundreds of years, although not in the form that we are used to seeing now. There have always been stories to be told for as long as one can remember. Before the days of bound books and magazines, there were stories that were told by people in the village around the campfires, or the bards and traveling entertainers telling stories to the court in the castles. This form of literature is labeled as oral literature. Oral literature has been around as long as there has been a language to speak. It is the stories that have been passed on from generation to generation. These stories included folklore, fables, stories about animals, or stories about brave heroes who performed a majestic deed to win the hand of his true love. They were told to both children and adults alike, because children and adults were all treated similarly during this time. In the early years of the fifth century through the fifteenth century this was the avenue for entertainment and to teach many of the lessons that they needed. Children would listen to the stories that the adults would listen to. These stories were often kept or preserved...
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...even past.” In his story “A Rose for Emily,” 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...
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...Student’s Name Professor Course Name Date Walt Whitman, Man of Influence Introduction Walt Whitman’s literary works have occupied the highest place in the world of American literature. He has been recognized as the focal center of creativity having truly American experience in the literary expression. Although a late bloomer in the literature world, Whitman embodies the elements of indigenous realism and the New England philosophy which makes him a truly national spiritual synthesis. His works touched on the trying times in the American history during the civil war and a story that influenced the society in many ways. Though a very individualistic poet, his works have influenced many other modern poets, who take after his style and themes. The most exceptional characteristic feature of his work is that he endeavored to always produce a mystical vision where everything was a part of something bigger and was equal in every aspect. Walt Whitman, indeed, embodies many qualities that highlight the real American character like viciousness, diversity, love for adventure and the ever pioneering fortitude of the American people. He is a symbol of variety, largeness and the tendency toward innovation. Brief History Walt Whitman was born on May 31st, 1819 in West Hills, a village near Hempstead in Long Island, New York. His mother, Louisa Van Velsor was a farmer, while his father, Walter Whitman was a carpenter. The family moved to Brooklyn where Walt attended school. He left...
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...Discovering African American Literature Rebekah Valcarcel Eng/301 November 30th, 2015 Dr. Julie Kares The art of storytelling invites readers into another world. Examining the literary conventions African American authors use allows readers to compare and contrast literary works. Harriet A. Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Terry McMillan’s The End and Maya Angelou’s Willie are significant literary pieces to discuss. It is important to consider factors such as historical, socio-political and cultural climate because these factors contribute and influence an author’s point of view as well as each author’s unique voice and message depending on the time period. Harriet A. Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, is a slave narrative. The literary conventions of the slave narrative define the work. Slave narratives echo biblical stories that often reflect persecuted groups attempting to escape to freedom. Jacobs’s piece details her struggle to escape her master from sexual abuse. Vivanco (2003), “The process from sin to rebirth in spiritual autobiographies is paralleled by the process from slavery to freedom in slave narratives. Slaves experience a change from chattel, enduring suffering, to man or woman living in the Promised Land, the North,” (para. 5). Further distinction of the slave narrative is how authors shape the story, often chronologically. Slave narratives illustrate an author’s personal experience though many share common themes of extreme violence/abuse...
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...American Ethnic Literature ENG/301 April M Lee October 15, 2012 Dr .Greg Beatty Literature came about many decays ago we use Literature to define the genre: humor, poetry, drama, plays, science- fiction and more. You also can use literature for was the ethnicity reason such as; French literature, and English literature and many more other ethnicity. In this paper I am going to talk about the American ethnic literature, American literature American, literary canon and many more different topics. American ethnic literature is a difficult subject to define because there is no single ethnic type of American when it comes to talking about the American ethic literature in this world. Americans are all made up from the people, who came to the United States. We as American makes the ethnicity part of literature by combine the different culture from all over the states. During the found of the nations there were a lot of groups of immigrants that had come to add their talent to our country. (Ethnic American Literature, 2000) The Irish was the largest group that had came in the early part of the 1800s. The Asia brought the culture over around the 1960s to share their talent and beliefs. All of them came together by bring their different skills, way they be thinking and beliefs to show everyone how they was different from the mainstream of the Americans, and by challenging different...
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...also we heard voices of the African American Authors who were taken serious by their white connects for the first time in history. It focused on portraying black culture and life in the ghetto. And it gave the African American Culture uniqueness within literature and art. Harlem Renaissance was an evident racial pride that symbolized the melodic theme of the New Negro. New Negro challenged the penetrating racial discrimination to encourage socialistic help of art and literature. As to be significant in the Harlem Renaissance the writers used poetry to present the African American experiences. Grabbing the attention between both black and white readers around the world. One Poet that set that bar really was Langston Hughes he was one of the most popular black poets of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes was great at his job with more diversity in his choice of writings. He had written Plays, Novels, Poems, and Short Stories, Most of his writings were the real situations that really happened in black cultures. Movies were highly looked up upon in the Harlem Renaissance. D.W. Griffith directed “The Birth of a Nation” the film was over African Americans directors who countered negative stereotypes promoted in majority of the mainstream movies. Then released films in The Harlem Renaissance showcased the struggle of the African Americans in the U.S. alone. Musicians during the Harlem Renaissance developed a style and movement that simply took Americans by storm. Musicians such as Duke...
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...Cultural trends 1950-1969 1950s Conformity - an agreement between a group’s standards 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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...Literature In the early 19th century, a number of American authors began to create literature emphasizing native scenes and characters. Prior to the 19th Century, the United States consisted of a series of colonies which remained dependant to the British Empire. After being successful at rebelling against the British Empire in the last half of the 18th Century and the Civil War of 1812, the United States has never been the same//was no longer the same. New ways of thinking were starting to be considered by American society as the rise of industry and science introduced many modifications in the way people lived. Concerning the field of literature, its origins in the United States were so far inherently related to British history and cultural lore. However, in the early 19th Century, American writers started to express their perceptions, ideas and experiences while being under the influence of fresh feelings of independence which forged the nation’s sense of identity. Therefore, the literature produced in this time was distinctively characterized by emphasizing native scenes and characters. Many authors contributed to this area of art: four authors of very respectable stature appeared. William Cullen Bryant, Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe initiated a great half century of literary development. The authors who began to come to prominence in the 1830s and were active until about the end of the Civil War—the humorists, the classic...
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...Bradford is best known for his two-book series Of Plymouth Plantation, written 1630-1650, documenting the early years of Plymouth Colony. Several poems and dialogues aimed at teaching younger generations characterized his later writing. Bradford’s writings are significant in American Literature...
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...A literary masterpiece is a piece of literature that has an theme and not only speak of specific events that occurred to a single character, but instead create characters who overcome difficult life situations and characters who are dimensional that uphold characteristic traits that reflects people of modern society and today's society. Characters in a literary masterpiece is important because they are the most memorable and their personalities make the literature stand out more clearly due to the fact that their qualities can be compared and contrasted to anyone of any time period in history. However, the theme is the most important in literary masterpieces because everything within an literature work depends on the theme. The theme outline the whole story and what is going to take place. The prior expectations regarding the literary masterpieces and my expectations of this course are based off not only my own knowledge but the way I critically analyze literature and my experiences with literary masterpieces. In all honesty, when it comes to a literary masterpiece, I expect them to fall into literature categories such as, novels, short stories, poems, comedies, dramas, mysteries, nonfiction and fiction. The reason being is based off my experiences from my very first English literature class. Where we had to read literary masterpieces such as, Alice Walker short story,"Everyday Use" and "Color Purple". Also, Langton Hughes poems," Let America be America" and "Still Here." ...
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...The seminar will give an overview of representative American literary works in their cultural context from the colonial period to the end of the nineteenth century. Requirements • Regular class attendance and participation • Presentation on a chosen theme • Weekly reading log (if you miss more than two weekly entries, your entire work fails) • Essay of 2 500 words due May 9, and its oral presentation. Calendar of meetings and assignments | |Themes, authors, primary texts |Critical reading | |Feb 8 |Introductions | | |Feb 15 |The Puritan Imagination I |IAS: “New Founde Land” | | |From: Mary Rowlandson: The Sovereignty and Goodness of God. |CHLUS: “Jonathan Edwards […] and the Great Awakening | | |From: John Winthrop: A Model of Christian Charity. | | | |From: Jonathan Edwards: Personal Narrative. | | |Feb 22 |The Puritan Imagination II. |IAS: “New Founde Land” | | |Anne Bradstreet: “The Author...
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