1. Puritanism ( s): Knowledge: comes from grace, scripture, typological history World view is God directed Social view: governmental theocracy, mutual suspicion Self Concept: self-loathing, very self-conscious View of Nature: emblematic of God's purposes, the living work of God. Earlier: fearful woods, Satan, Later: beauty Representative Persons: Bradford/Winthrop-- Edwards

2. Colonialism/Enlightenment (1740s-1820): ► Knowledge: Lockian empiricism, through senses and reason ► World view: natural laws are discoverable, Deism (celestial clockmaker) ► Social view: democracy, common man is more moral, closer to truth, Constitution is "machine" to set government in motion ► self concept: social, member of a community, be a good citizen, social works ► View of Nature: mechanical, scientific, follows laws/rules, hierarchical separation of God, Man, Nature ► Representative Persons: Franklin, Jefferson

3. Romantic Period ( /65) Knowledge: genius, intuition, the sublime Knowledge: genius, intuition, the sublime World view: individual directed, only know through own mind World view: individual directed, only know through own mind Social view: autocracy of the soul Social view: autocracy of the soul Self concept: self-discovery of your true self Self concept: self-discovery of your true self View of Nature: organic, God, Man, Nature fused View of Nature: organic, God, Man, Nature fused Representative Persons: Emerson, Hawthorne Representative Persons: Emerson, Hawthorne

Romanticism [ ] Hawthorne, Poe, Thoreau, Melville, Whitman, Dickinson Hawthorne, Poe, Thoreau, Melville, Whitman, Dickinson emphasis on the individual, center of life/experience emphasis on the individual, center of life/experience extraordinary characters in unusual circumstances extraordinary characters in unusual circumstances concentration on Nature over world alter/affected by man -exault wild/natural, scorn the urban/artificial concentration on Nature over world alter/affected by man -exault wild/natural, scorn the urban/artificial often set in distant/historic/exotic past often set in distant/historic/exotic past importance of the imagination/intuition importance of the imagination/intuition

Elements of Transcendentalism: combines world of senses with a world beyond the senses combines world of senses with a world beyond the senses triumph of feeling/intuition over scientific reason triumph of feeling/intuition over scientific reason exaltation of individual over society exaltation of individual over society impatience of bondage to custom and habit impatience of bondage to custom and habit thrilling delight in nature thrilling delight in nature

Transcendental Doctrines: living close to nature living close to nature dignity of manual labor dignity of manual labor strong need of intellectual companionship and interests strong need of intellectual companionship and interests great emphasis on "spiritual living" great emphasis on "spiritual living" Men's relation to God personal, not intermediation of ritualistic church Men's relation to God personal, not intermediation of ritualistic church self-trust and self-reliance practiced at all times self-trust and self-reliance practiced at all times intense individualism intense individualism

Philosophy and Tone of Transcendental writings: worth of the individual worth of the individual rejection of the past, especially European traditions rejection of the past, especially European traditions call for a new American literature call for a new American literature (Insist on yourself, never imitate) (Insist on yourself, never imitate)

Critique of Slavery--some common elements of slave narratives [ ] emphasis on family and attempts to destroy or deny family tiesemphasis on family and attempts to destroy or deny family ties undulating hope and hopelessnessundulating hope and hopelessness dehumanization, animal imagery of both slave and slave ownerdehumanization, animal imagery of both slave and slave owner preference for death rather than slaverypreference for death rather than slavery power and powerlessness, often tied to food imagery/hungerpower and powerlessness, often tied to food imagery/hunger religious/political hypocrisy of slave ownersreligious/political hypocrisy of slave owners

Southwestern Humor [1830s- 1880s]: anti-intellectual bias avid interest in "native" vernacular characters exaggeration/hyperbole often used interest in representing actual spoken dialects/vernacular often uses a Frame structure [genteel narrator vs. vernacular]

Local Color/Regionalism [ ]: folklore, local customs fading, need to be preserved response to complexity of day, loss of pastoral nostalgic particular regional setting simple, deceptive quality; best work becomes universal

Realism [ ] fidelity to actuality, reality as it appears through observation fidelity to actuality, reality as it appears through observation objectivity, neutrality objectivity, neutrality social awareness, critical appraisal of society/institutions social awareness, critical appraisal of society/institutions vernacular/dialect, spoken language verisimilitude vernacular/dialect, spoken language verisimilitude greater concern in character over action (as in romanticism) greater concern in character over action (as in romanticism) absolute opposition to sentimental fiction absolute opposition to sentimental fiction

Naturalism [ ] attempted objectivity attempted objectivity frankness frankness amoral attitude toward material amoral attitude toward material philosophy of determinism philosophy of determinism pessimism pessimism projection of "strong" characters, animal or neurotic natures projection of "strong" characters, animal or neurotic natures