American Feminist Literature Greta Ertzgard, Katie Kloos, And Laura Hungerford

The Importance of American Feminist Writers… Books added to reform movements…like that of women’s suffrage and independence Shed light on subjects like abuse, tolerance, individuality, equality, etc. Influenced other women to write

To be discussed… Maya Angelou Lorraine Hansberry Harriet Beecher Stowe Louisa May Alcott

Maya Angelou Born: April 4, 1928 Parents divorced when she was 3 and she and her brother were sent to live with her grandmother in Arkansas. Visiting her mother and her boyfriend High School (scholarship, dropped out, pregnant) Guy At age 16 she left home with her son and worked as a waitress to raise her son. She still had a passion for dance, music, and drama.

Maya Angelou (cont.) Married Tosh Angelou, the marriage did not last long. Maya Angelou was the name she used when she started singing at a nightclub. First album in 1957 Moved to New York to work on writing Very involved with Civil Right Movements (Martin Luther King Jr.) National Figure “ As far as I knew white women were never lonely, except in books. White men adored them, Black men desired them and Black women worked for them.” -Maya Angelou

Famous Works I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings The Heart of a Woman Just Give me a Cold Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie (poetry) Influences Autobiography on her life from Arkansas to Guy (her son) Autobiography on her life in Arkansas to her jobs and her son. Family: her son (Guy), brother, and Grandmother Civil Rights: With Martin Luther King Jr.

A Woman of Many Styles Autobiographies Poetry Essays Plays Screenplays

Lorraine Hansberry May 19, January 12, 1965 Parents active in civil rights 1938 move to new neighborhood University of Wisconsin Freedom the newspaper Robert Nemiroff

Lorraine Hansberry (cont.) Writing The Raisin in the Sun Cancer Divorce “A woman who is willing to be herself and pursue her own potential runs not so much the risk of loneliness as the challenge of exposure to more interesting men--and people in general.” -Lorraine Hansberry

Harriet Beecher Stowe Most famous work: Uncle Tom’s Cabin

What People Influenced Her Life Harriet’s family of abolitionists definitely influenced her Her father was a minister, president of Lane Theological Seminary, was strong in his faith and believed in education Youngest sister, Isabella, was involved in the suffrage movement Catharine Beecher (sister) had a huge impact. She founded schools for young women and was an author

Who influenced Harriet (cont.) Husband Calvin Stowe supported her writing (unusual for her time). He was also a minister. “God has written in His book that you must be a literary woman, and who are we to go against God?” -Calvin Stowe “So you’re the start of this war?” -Abraham Lincoln

Events that inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin Civil War tension Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 Death of Harriet’s son, Charley, in 1850

Louisa May Alcott th century writer of Little Women “Far away there in sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.” -Louisa May Alcott

Louisa May Alcott Born: November 29, 1832 in Germantown, PA Had three sisters…Anna, Elizabeth, and May Educated by her father, a transcendentalist, and her mother, a well-known abolitionist, suffragist, and the first paid social worker in MA Grew up in Boston and Concord because of her parents transcendentalist friends Tomboy…

A passion for writing… Began story-telling with her sisters She would always play the vivacious characters Family’s poverty caused her to vow to help them out with her story-telling Had many jobs to support her family 1 st works published in magazines Themes included family relationships, self-reliance, and perseverance

Alcott… (cont.) Famous Works 1 st book- Flowers and Fables (1854) Hospital Sketches Most well-known book, Little Women, written when her publisher requested her to write a “book for girls” Influences Experiences as a nurse during the Civil War, at Union Hospital Growing up with her sisters Family poverty

Common Topics in Feminist Literature Poverty Abuse Children Marriage Family Hardship Women/Blacks Rights

Effects of Feminist Literature On Literature New role for women in storylines. Influenced other women to write books. First time women won awards for their books. On Society Revolutionized women More opportunities Reformed movements

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