Strolling through the American Literature Garden [Part 1]

American literature is marked by several fundamental elements. Literature reflects society and history; major events in America have always been linked to major events in Europe from the founding of the nation to the present day.

Illustrative image.

Therefore, European literary movements and schools of thought influenced America (Romanticism, Realism, etc.). American literature was both closely connected to English and European literature, and also possessed a "colonial inferiority complex," giving rise to cosmopolitanism and isolationism, as well as in political strategy.

Religious elements, with their Puritan undertones, permeate American morality and serve as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for writing. Geographical factors are particularly important to American literature; everything here is overwhelmingly large and expansive: from trees to rivers, lakes, mountains, deserts, and cities. American space and time constantly haunt creative endeavors, sparking exploration and innovation in all genres, especially novels.

During the colonial period (1607-1774) until the end of the 18th century, American literature was characterized by Puritanism, mysticism, and melancholy. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was the first to bring a new literary atmosphere with the humanist ideas of the Enlightenment; he also contributed to awakening national independence consciousness. Patriotic literature flourished, particularly with the works of George Washington (1732-1799) and Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826).

By the 19th century, from the late 1910s to the early 20th century, there were three pioneering authors. Washington Irving (1783-1859) is considered the father of the American short story. Another American writer, Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851), gained public attention with a series of frontier novels, especially *The Last of the Mohicans* (1826). He constructed his plot in an American setting with typical American characters: uneducated, very close to nature, surviving by instinct, honest, and practical.

William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) was the first American poet of considerable stature. His poetry was romantic, melancholic, tinged with Puritanism, and reflected a deep connection with nature.

From the 1930s to the American Civil War of 1865, the short story genre was elevated to its peak by Edgar Poe (1809-1849). He was a quintessential "romantic-symbolist" poet representing the "art for art's sake" movement. The novels and short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) and Herman Melville (1819-1891) continued the intellectual legacy of Puritanism.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's (1803-1882) school of transcendentalism was a powerful source of inspiration throughout that period, and it spurred many collective experiments in the freedom of utopian socialism. He championed nature, believing that free individuals could reach the pinnacle of spirituality without the need for formal religion. A prominent disciple and heavily influenced by Emerson, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) produced a series of works in the 1950s, marking the golden age of American literature.

Several authors were passionate about fighting against slavery in the 1950s. The poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892) stood out among them, being the voice of America, praising its mountains, rivers, fields, and the newly formed democracy. Twelve years older than Whitman, the Quaker poet John Whittier (1807-1892) drew inspiration from two sources: nature and the fight against slavery. Speaking of the anti-slavery theme, one cannot fail to mention Harriet Beecher Stowe's (1811-1896) *Uncle Tom's Cabin*; a prime example of the strong moral power of literature, vehemently condemning the brutal system of slavery and contributing to the emancipation of slaves in America, encouraging conscientious Americans to fight fiercely and resolutely.

Following the Civil War, a regionalist literary movement emerged, focusing on specific regions. The most prominent author was Mark Twain (1835-1910), with *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* and *The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn*, considered among the greatest novels in American literature. Also prominent in regional literature was William Dean Howells (1837-1920), who developed the theory of realism in America. Influenced by Howells, Frank Norris (1870-1902) and Stephen Crane (1871-1900) elevated realism to naturalism, while simultaneously reacting against materialism. Another writer, Henry James (1843-1916), went against the path of realism, turning to individual psychological issues, heralding the modern psychological novel.

It is also worth mentioning the very famous American poet of the 19th century, Henry Longfellow (1807-1882), with his clear, simple, and melodious poems.

From the beginning of the 20th century to World War II, Jack London (1876-1916) was the first American proletarian writer, possessing a contradictory worldview , criticizing society, and valuing adventure, instinctive action, and wildness.

During and after World War I, the critical realist movement continued. Theodore Dreiser (1871–1945) can be considered the “peak of American realist literature.” Edgar Lee Masters (1869–1950) was a satirical poet; Carl August Sandburg (1878–1967) was an industrial poet, celebrating the vitality of the people. Sherwood Anderson (1876–1941) wrote short stories and novels that defied convention, sympathizing with Black people and the proletarian revolutionary forces; Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951) was a novelist who mocked the traditional American dream of success; Upton Sinclair (1878–1968), like Sinclair Lewis, is considered a “muckraker” writer who criticized the notion that America was a paradise.

Source