EOCT+REVIEW

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Native American Period, pre-1620–1840. Native American literature is an __oral tradition of song and stories__. Any written literature is an account of these songs and stories. Much of Native American literature __focuses on the natural world and the sacred world and the importance of land and place.__ The dates for this period refer to the period of Native American dominance in the New World.

Colonial Period, 1620–1750. During this period, the newly arrived colonists were creating villages and towns and establishing new governments, while protesting the old regime of the British. Literature of this period __reflects the religious influence of the Puritans.__ Famous writers include __William Bradford__, who wrote about the establishment of the new colony__; Anne Bradstreet, whose poetry__ focuses on daily life and family relationships; and __Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan minister__ whose writing reflects the moral attitudes of the time.

Revolutionary Period and Nationalism, 1750–1815. During this period, American writers __focused on explaining and justifying the Revolution__. Political writings by __Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson__ belong to this time period. With the Revolution behind them, Americans found time to ponder __what it really meant to be American__. An even greater __focus on nationalism, patriotism, and American identity__ arose following the War of 1812, which removed the last British troops from North America.

Romanticism and Transcendentalism, 1800–1855. Romanticism was a philosophical attitude that __developed in reaction to previous decades in which reason and rational thought dominated__. Writers __celebrated individualism, nature, imagination, creativity, and emotions__. As Americans expanded westward, the rebellious spirit of Romanticism guided them, and as Eastern cities such as Boston and New York became centers of intellectual thought and culture, the romantic ideal inspired them to ask questions and pursue lively philosophical debates. The philosophy of Transcendentalism, exemplified __by Ralph Waldo Emerson__, eventually evolved; it __stressed respect for the individual and the intuitive pursuit of a greater truth__. Writers from this period include __Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau.__

Realism, 1850–1900. This period, __which includes the Civil War, significant industrial invention, and extensive westward expansion__, is one of the most turbulent and creative in American history. Hinting at the modern movement yet to come, __writers turned to realism in an effort to articulate the tensions and complex events of the time__. Authors made it their __mission to convey the reality of life__, harsh as it might seem. Characters reflected __real people__, determined yet flawed, struggling to overcome the difficulties of war, family, natural disasters, and human weaknesses. __Some authors, such as Mark Twain, focused on a particular region of the country__, seeking to represent accurately the culture and beliefs by presenting its local color. This literature __emphasized accurate portrayals__ of the physical landscape as well as the habits and the speech of the area’s people. Other writers of this period include __Ambrose Bierce, Stephen Crane, Willa Cather, and Emily Dickinson.__

Naturalism, 1880–1940. This period, which overlaps with Realism, __was an extension of realism__. Writers during this period focused on grim reality, observing characters much as scientists might observe animals. They sought to discover the natural laws that govern human lives. Unlike the Transcendentalists, Naturalists viewed nature as indifferent, not noble. The characters in these works were often helpless victims of nature, the environment, and their own heritage. Writers of this period include __Frank Norris, Theodore Dreiser, **Jack London**, and James T. Farrell.__

Modern Period, 1900–1950. Wars, economic prosperity, along with the Depression, commercialism, and increased population, marked the first half of the twentieth century in the United States. __The independent, individualistic spirit that was distinctively American seemed threatened.__ Writers such as __Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T. S. Eliot__ __explored themes of__ alienation and change and confronted people’s fears and disillusionments. During this time__, African American literature flourished, inspired by writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston of the Harlem Renaissance.__ Characteristics of modern literature include __extensive use of symbolism, irony, and understatement.__ Writers experimented with __new techniques, such as stream of consciousness, in which the random, seemingly unconnected thoughts of a character are revealed.__ Readers __must often use a good deal of inference to understand character and theme, as meaning is suggested more than directly stated.__