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American Literature and Arts

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1 American Literature and Arts
Chapter 12 ~ Section 4 American Literature and Arts

2 An American culture develops
Most were used to European styles in literature and art Mid-1800’s: American writers & artists were showing optimism and energy Washington Irving & James Fenimore Cooper Irving: New York Dutch history; “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, “Rip Van Winkle” Cooper: Frontierman going west (Natty Bumppo); “The Deerslayer”, “Last of the Mohicans” Early 1800’s: Romanticism  value nature, emotions, imagination

3 An American culture develops
Transcendentalism  go beyond human reason, show link between human and nature Ralph Waldo Emerson: leader of transcendentalists; question material goods, and encourages individualism Henry David Thoreau: Followed Emerson’s ideas; Lived for two years in woods (Walden Pond); People should live simply, and judge right and wrong; believed in civil disobedience, which influenced Martin Lurther King Jr. decades later

4 Flowering of American Literature
Herman Melville & Nathaniel Hawthorne: Fascinated by psychology and extreme emotions “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville: Sea Captain fights whale “Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Life of Puritans “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott: Four sisters, and imperfections Poets: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Walt Whitman

5 Art  Landscapes, daily lives of Americans
Art and music Art  Landscapes, daily lives of Americans Hudson River School for artists is formed Work songs for sailors, railroad workers, barge workers Spirituals: Specialty songs for enslaved African Americans (Ch. 11)

6 INDIVIDUALISM: Unique importance of each individual
Vocabulary TRANSCENDENTALISM: A movement that sought to explore the relationship between humans and nature through emotions rather than reason INDIVIDUALISM: Unique importance of each individual CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: The idea that people should peacefully disobey unjust laws if their consciences demand it


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