Genres in American Genres in American LiteratureLiterature

RomanceRomance SentimentalisSentimentalis

mm RealismRealism NaturalismNaturalism ModernismModernism PostmodernismPostmodernism

1790-18601790-1860 1820-18601820-1860 1870-18901870-1890 1890-19101890-1910 1910-19701910-1970 1980-present1980-present

Romance Romance SentimentalismSentimentalism Appeal to the Appeal to the

emotionsemotions Tales of ideal and Tales of ideal and

truth rather than truth rather than realityreality

Emphasis on Emphasis on redemption, of redemption, of individuals or of individuals or of societysociety

MelvilleMelville

GothicGothic ““a tendency to a tendency to

plunge into the plunge into the underside of underside of consciousness”consciousness”

Poe, BrownPoe, Brown

RealismRealism VerisimilitudeVerisimilitude The here and now as The here and now as

subjectsubject Vernacular rather Vernacular rather

than elevated speechthan elevated speech Reliance on the Reliance on the

scientific methodscientific method Detailed descriptionsDetailed descriptions Events are plausibleEvents are plausible Gilman, TwainGilman, Twain

NaturalismNaturalism Reliance on Reliance on

scientific principlesscientific principles Attempt objectivity Attempt objectivity

and detachmentand detachment Nature is indifferentNature is indifferent Focus on “the brute Focus on “the brute

within”within” DeterminismDeterminism NorrisNorris

ModernismModernism Fragmentation and Fragmentation and

alienationalienation Pessimistic, Pessimistic,

subjectivesubjective World is not World is not

ordered and stable ordered and stable but rather futile but rather futile and chaoticand chaotic

Self-conscious and Self-conscious and self-reflexiveself-reflexive

ModernismModernism ImpressionismImpressionism Collage, pasticheCollage, pastiche Minimalist Minimalist

designs, no designs, no elaborate elaborate ornamentornament

Dos Passos, EliotDos Passos, Eliot

PostmodernismPostmodernism ParodyParody Blurring of Blurring of

distinctions between distinctions between genres and high/low genres and high/low artart

De-centeredDe-centered Celebrates, rather Celebrates, rather

than mourns, the than mourns, the fragmentation and fragmentation and meaninglessness of meaninglessness of lifelife

Three Phases of Three Phases of CapitalismCapitalism

11stst: market : market capitalismcapitalism 1700- 1700-1890s1890s

Associated with Associated with particular particular technological technological developments, developments, namely, the steam-namely, the steam-driven motordriven motor

realism. realism.

Monopoly capitalismMonopoly capitalism 22ndnd: monopoly : monopoly

capitalism: capitalism: 1890s-1950 1890s-1950 (WWII); (WWII);

Electric and Electric and internal internal combustion combustion motorsmotors

modernism. modernism.

Consumer capitalismConsumer capitalism 33rdrd: multinational or : multinational or

consumer capitalism consumer capitalism (with the emphasis (with the emphasis placed on marketing, placed on marketing, selling, and consuming selling, and consuming commodities, not on commodities, not on producing them)producing them)

nuclear and electronic nuclear and electronic technologiestechnologies

postmodernism.postmodernism.

To review: Social controlTo review: Social control Punish (up to Punish (up to

1800)1800) Discipline (1800-Discipline (1800-

1900)1900) Control (1900-Control (1900-

1980s)1980s) Option (1990-Option (1990-

present)present)

Levers, pulleysLevers, pulleys EnginesEngines

ComputersComputers

Internet, Internet, credit cardscredit cards

J. Alfred PrufrockJ. Alfred Prufrock Written in 1919Written in 1919 Mood of ModernismMood of Modernism Society in PrufrockSociety in Prufrock DeodorantDeodorant GradesGrades Peer pressurePeer pressure The doorThe door The OscarsThe Oscars American IdolAmerican Idol ““If the most idiotic television game shows are If the most idiotic television game shows are

so successful, it’s because they express the so successful, it’s because they express the corporate situation with great precision”corporate situation with great precision”