genres in american literature
DESCRIPTION
Romance Sentimentalism Appeal to the emotions Tales of ideal and truth rather than reality Emphasis on redemption, of individuals or of society MelvilleTRANSCRIPT
Genres in American Genres in American LiteratureLiterature
RomanceRomance SentimentalisSentimentalis
mm RealismRealism NaturalismNaturalism ModernismModernism PostmodernismPostmodernism
1790-18601790-1860 1820-18601820-1860 1870-18901870-1890 1890-19101890-1910 1910-19701910-1970 1980-present1980-present
Romance Romance SentimentalismSentimentalism Appeal to the Appeal to the
emotionsemotions Tales of ideal and Tales of ideal and
truth rather than truth rather than realityreality
Emphasis on Emphasis on redemption, of redemption, of individuals or of individuals or of societysociety
MelvilleMelville
GothicGothic ““a tendency to a tendency to
plunge into the plunge into the underside of underside of consciousness”consciousness”
Poe, BrownPoe, Brown
RealismRealism VerisimilitudeVerisimilitude The here and now as The here and now as
subjectsubject Vernacular rather Vernacular rather
than elevated speechthan elevated speech Reliance on the Reliance on the
scientific methodscientific method Detailed descriptionsDetailed descriptions Events are plausibleEvents are plausible Gilman, TwainGilman, Twain
NaturalismNaturalism Reliance on Reliance on
scientific principlesscientific principles Attempt objectivity Attempt objectivity
and detachmentand detachment Nature is indifferentNature is indifferent Focus on “the brute Focus on “the brute
within”within” DeterminismDeterminism NorrisNorris
ModernismModernism Fragmentation and Fragmentation and
alienationalienation Pessimistic, Pessimistic,
subjectivesubjective World is not World is not
ordered and stable ordered and stable but rather futile but rather futile and chaoticand chaotic
Self-conscious and Self-conscious and self-reflexiveself-reflexive
ModernismModernism ImpressionismImpressionism Collage, pasticheCollage, pastiche Minimalist Minimalist
designs, no designs, no elaborate elaborate ornamentornament
Dos Passos, EliotDos Passos, Eliot
PostmodernismPostmodernism ParodyParody Blurring of Blurring of
distinctions between distinctions between genres and high/low genres and high/low artart
De-centeredDe-centered Celebrates, rather Celebrates, rather
than mourns, the than mourns, the fragmentation and fragmentation and meaninglessness of meaninglessness of lifelife
Three Phases of Three Phases of CapitalismCapitalism
11stst: market : market capitalismcapitalism 1700- 1700-1890s1890s
Associated with Associated with particular particular technological technological developments, developments, namely, the steam-namely, the steam-driven motordriven motor
realism. realism.
Monopoly capitalismMonopoly capitalism 22ndnd: monopoly : monopoly
capitalism: capitalism: 1890s-1950 1890s-1950 (WWII); (WWII);
Electric and Electric and internal internal combustion combustion motorsmotors
modernism. modernism.
Consumer capitalismConsumer capitalism 33rdrd: multinational or : multinational or
consumer capitalism consumer capitalism (with the emphasis (with the emphasis placed on marketing, placed on marketing, selling, and consuming selling, and consuming commodities, not on commodities, not on producing them)producing them)
nuclear and electronic nuclear and electronic technologiestechnologies
postmodernism.postmodernism.
To review: Social controlTo review: Social control Punish (up to Punish (up to
1800)1800) Discipline (1800-Discipline (1800-
1900)1900) Control (1900-Control (1900-
1980s)1980s) Option (1990-Option (1990-
present)present)
Levers, pulleysLevers, pulleys EnginesEngines
ComputersComputers
Internet, Internet, credit cardscredit cards
J. Alfred PrufrockJ. Alfred Prufrock Written in 1919Written in 1919 Mood of ModernismMood of Modernism Society in PrufrockSociety in Prufrock DeodorantDeodorant GradesGrades Peer pressurePeer pressure The doorThe door The OscarsThe Oscars American IdolAmerican Idol ““If the most idiotic television game shows are If the most idiotic television game shows are
so successful, it’s because they express the so successful, it’s because they express the corporate situation with great precision”corporate situation with great precision”