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American Literature

Figurative language Writing or speech that goes beyond the literal meaning of words to create a vivid picture or make a fresh comparison.
Metaphor A direct comparison that states one thing is another thing, without using "like" or "as" (e.g., "Time is a thief").
Simile A comparison between two unlike things that explicitly uses connecting words, most commonly "like" or "as" (e.g., "Quiet as a mouse").
Personification A device where non-human things, animals, or abstract ideas are given human traits, emotions, or actions (e.g., "The wind whispered").
Symbolism The use of a concrete object, person, or situation to represent a deeper, abstract idea beyond its literal meaning (e.g., a dove representing peace).
Alliteration The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words that are close together in a sentence (e.g., "Peter Piper picked").
Free verse Poetry that does not use a consistent rhyme scheme or a regular musical pattern (meter)
Theme The central, underlying message, lesson, or universal truth that an author wants to communicate to the reader through a story.
STEAL analysis A method used to analyze characterization by looking at five specific areas: Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, and Looks.
American Romanticism A 19th-century literary movement that emphasized emotion, imagination, and individualism, championing the beauty of nature and the intuition of the individual over strict reason and formal tradition.
Transcendentalism A philosophical and literary offshoot of American Romanticism that asserted divinity is embedded in all nature and humanity, advocating for self-reliance, spiritual intuition, and independence from societal conformity.
Harlem Renaissance A vibrant creative explosion during the 1920s and 1930s based in Harlem, New York, that celebrated and institutionalized Black culture, literature, music, and art, fostering a powerful new African American identity.
Walt Whitman Born 1819-1892 in Long Island. Poet, journalist, essayist.Worked in D.C. during the Civil War and spent time visiting the sick. Later lost the job because his poems were said to be improper. He was one of the first writers to us free verse.
Henry David Thoreau Born 1817 - 1862. Writer, poet, philosopher. Spent two years living in a cabin he built at Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Believed people should not follow laws they believe are unjust. He is considered a pioneer of American nature writing.
Robert Frost Born 1874 - 1963. Worked as a teacher and writer. His poems are typically about the life and landscape of New England. Read one of his poems at JFK's inauguration; is seen as one of America's most influential poets.
Langston Hughes Born 1901 - 1967. Spent most of his youth travelling the U.S. and the globe while working and writing. Is most famous for his portrayals of black life in America. Was a massive name in the Harlem Renaissance.
S.E. Hinton Born 1948 - still alive! Wrote The Outsiders when she was 15 - 16 years old. Some of her other books involve some of the characters from The Outsiders in them. She's considered a pioneer of the YA genre.
Maya Angelou Born 1928-2014. Poet, memoirist, and Civil Rights activist. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was her first autobiography, published in 1968. Many of her works carry the themes of racism and trauma that she experienced in her life.
What is the biggest difference between Civil Disobedience and Walden? How do both represent transcendentalist ideals? The main difference between the two is that Civil Disobedience calls for active, public resistance, while Walden invites quiet internal growth. They both represent transcendentalist ideas because they both grow independently in their own ways.
Created by: Q198
 

 



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