【正文】 as the style of Holy Bible) Without understanding of Puritanism, there can be no good understanding of American culture and literature. American Puritanism Enduring shaping influence in literature ① Basis of American literature dreamed of living under a perfect order worked with courage hoped to build a Garden of Eden on earth faced the worst of life with optimism All literature is based on a myth – garden of Eden. ?went into the making of American literature ② Contributing to the development of Symbolism（象征主義） : a technique, widely used Symbolism means using symbols in literary works. The symbol means something that represents or stands for abstract deep meaning. Puritans thought that all the simple objects existing in the world connoted deep meaning II. Literature in the early periods: 1. main features 1) Diaries, histories, journals, letters, monplace books, travel books, sermons, in short, personal literature in its various forms, occupy a major position in the literature of the early colonial period. 2) In content these early writings served either God or colonial expansion or both. In form, there wasn‘t any form at all, and English literary traditions were faithfully imitated and transplanted. 3) 3) Literature in the early periods were barren and bleak, but they represent a process in which American literature evolved towards a higher phrase. 2. Early American Puritan Writers ? John Smith, one of the founders of the colony of Jamestown: His descriptions about the new world became the source of information for the later settlers. ? William Bradford, 1st governor of Plymouth: The History of Plymouth Plantation ? John Winthrop, 1st governor of Boston, The History of New England Their writings illustrate the religious zeal of the first settlers. Early American Puritan Poets ? Anne Bradstreet: Her poems made such a stir in England that she became known as the “Tenth Muse” who appeared in America. ? Edward Taylor: His work followed the style and forms of the leading English poets of the mid17th century. Most of their poems treated religious themes. They were servants of God. Early writers writing for freedom Roger Williams: the first rebel against the divine church ? John Woolman Writers in the Revolutionary Period Jonathan Edwards: the last medieval man The Freedom of the Will, The Great Doctrine of Original Sin Defended Benjamin Franklin Writers in the Revolutionary Period ? Thomas Paine: a famous pamphleteer in the age of revolution, his Common Sense appeared in 1776, boldly advocating a ―Declaration of Independence.‖ ? Philip Freneau: the most outstanding writer of the postrevolutionary period. He used his poetic talents for the independence of America, and dedicated himself to writing American subject matters. 1) He was a rare genius in human history. Everything seems to meet in this one man, mind and will, talent and art, strength and ease, wit and grace, and he became almost everything: a printer, postmaster, citizen, almanac maker, essayist, scientist, inventor, statesman, philosopher, political economist and ambassador. 2) He was the first great selfmade man in America, a poor democrat born in an aristocratic age that his fine example helped to liberalize. 3) Politically he was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He was the only American to sign the four historic documents: the declaration of Independence, the treaty of alliance with France, the treaty of peace with England, and the constitution. 2. Evaluation. (Benjamin Franklin1706 – 1790) 4)Scientifically, as the symbol of America in the Age of Enlightenment, he invented a lot of useful implements. His research on electricity, his famous experiment with his kite line and many others made him the preeminent scientist of his day. 5) Literally, he really opened the story of American literature. In the Scottish philosopher David Hume‘s eyes he was America‘s ―first great man of letters‖. 3. Major Works ?Poor Richard’s Almanac ? Maxims（ 諺語，格言） and axioms（ 哲理，格言） a) Lost time is never found again. b) A penny saved is a penny earned. c) God help them that help themselves. d) Fish and visitors stink in three days. a) Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. b) Ale in, truth out. c) Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation. d) Diligence is the Mother of Good Luck. e) One Today is worth two tomorrow. Autobiography Themes: a. It is the first real biography in the United States . It gives us the simple yet immensely fascinating record of a man rising to wealth and fame from a state of poverty and obscurity into which he was born, being the faithful account of the colorful career of America‘s first selfmade man. b. It is a story about the secular American dream and Franklin39。 living for glorifying God。溫克爾 》 ? “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” 《 睡谷的傳說 》 ? c) Bracebridge Hall 1822 《 布雷斯布里奇莊園 》 ? d) Oliver Goldsmith 1840《 哥爾德斯密斯 》 e) Life of Gee Washington 18551859 《 華盛頓傳 》 ? The short story as a genre in American literature probably began with Irving’s The Sketch Book, A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS, SKETCHES, AND TALES. It also marked the beginning of American Romanticism. ? In his life Cooper wrote over thirty novels which can be divided into frontier novels, detective novels and reference novels. He considered The Pathfinder 探路人 (1840) and The Deerslayer殺鹿者 (1841) his best works. ? The unifying thread of the five novels collectively known as the LeatherStocking Tales皮裹腿故事集 is the life of Natty Bumppo, Cooper‘s finest achievement. They constitute a vast prose epic with the North American continent as setting,