WW1 ( ) had profound effect on world. ◦ 65 million military involved ◦ 8-10 million died; 115,000 Americans ◦ 6-7 million civilians died Changed American voice ◦ At one time, American voice was brash and youthful, but mostly unoriginal ◦ After WW1, voice became less optimistic, aware of limitations. Led to more distinctive voice, though.
Country seemed to lose innocence Idealism turned to cynicism Writers began question authority and tradition of country War brought social changes ◦ Morally ◦ Short skirts, bobbed, hair, slang expressions ◦ Connection to past deteriorating
Depression brought suffering to millions American writers disillusioned; feeling spiritually empty; began to reject traditional themes and styles American Dream ◦ 1. Admiration of America as New Eden; land of beauty, bounty, unlimited promise ◦ 2. Optimism; faith in progress. “It’s just around the corner” idea ◦ 3. Importance and ulimate triumph of individual (think Emerson).
Writers from South, Midwest, West arise Stream of consciousness technique-- moment-by-moment flow (v. chronological order) Intellectual trends ◦ Marxism: Capitalism is bad; get rid of classes and make everyone equal. ◦ Psychoanalysis: Man is influenced by desire of the unconscious thought; questions level of “free will” man has
Prohibition: No more booze. Led to the bootlegger, the speakeasy, the cocktail, gangsters And Jazz Music Ernest Hemingway ◦ Very influential writer; wrote in “plain style” ◦ Created new American hero—courageous, cool, but disillusioned The Roaring Twenties saw women in new roles ◦ Edna St. Vincent Millay was poet and “wild woman” ◦ 1920 women won right to vote
Emily Dickinson and Whitman are dead; poetry fizzling. T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound helped revive it. Shortly after, crashing wave of poetry emerged. The Harlem Renaissance ◦ Awesome explosion of art from New York (and surrounding areas) ◦ Rise of African American poetry and literature ◦ Focused on the unique perspective of African American experience ◦ Introduced ‘ghetto speech’ and jazz rhythms and blues into verse
Even though Modernists rejected Emerson’s optimism, some ideas remained. America has potential Self-Reliance is important Modernists still trying to answer questions such as Who are we? Where are we going? What values should guide us there?