American LiteratureThe Moderns 1900-1950

World War I

What was one event that changed the American voice in fiction?

Think about FDR’s statement. Be prepared to complete a Do Now regarding that statement.

Read FDR’s quote on p. 524. Why is fear something to be feared?

The Modernist Movement

What movement affected American writers post WWI?

1. unlimited promise of an American Eden 2. optimism in the continued growth of

America 3. triumph of the individual

What 3 central ideas comprise the “American dream”?

“Hoovervilles” named after Pres. Herbert Hoover

During the depression, towns made tents were called _______________.

“the forgotten man” WPA – Works Progress Administration – Allocated $300 million and gave work to

people in the fields of writing, theater, music, and the visual arts.

FDR promised to help whom?

Amelia Earhart

Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic?

Hoover Dam Golden Gate Bridge Empire State Building

3 famous structures built during the 1930s

Radio broadcasts

Ex. The Shadow, War of the Worlds

What was the most popular form of entertainment in the 1930

Marxism psychoanalysis

Name 2 new intellectual trends during this time

Russia – the Bolsheviks led by Lenin

In what country did the ideas of Marxism create a revolution and topple the government?

Sigmund Freud – challenged Judeo-Christian idea of “free will”

Who was the founder of psychoanalysis?

Stream of consciousness

Ex. Writers: James Joyce, William Faulkner

What narrative technique was a result of this new interest in the psyche?

prohibition

What amendment was added to construction in 1919?

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Who gave the time period the name, Jazz Age?

disillusionment

What was a major theme of the period?

Ex-patriates or “ex-pats”

Name the group of writers who left America for Europe, in particular Paris.

Ernest Hemingway

Who was the most influential post WWI writer?

Disillusioment However—he was a man of action, a

warrior, and tough competitor; he has a code of honor, courage, and endurance.

Commonly works “grace under pressure”

The most important trait of a Hemingway hero was ________.

Henri Matisse Pablo Picasso

2 modernist painters

Emphasis on bold experimentation in style and form, reflecting the fragmentation of society

Rejection of traditional themes and subjects Sense of disillusionment and loss of faith in

the American dream Rejection of the ideal of a hero as infallible

in favor of a hero who is flawed and disillusioned but shows “grace under pressure”

Interest in the inner workings of the human mind

Name 5 traits of Modernism in American lit.

Ezra Pound T. S. Eliot

2 symbolist writers

Robert Frost

Who was the greatest poetic voice in New England during this time?

Know 3-4 writers Know location Know what is did to elevate African-

American culture

What is the Harlem Renaissance?