A Journey Through the Evolution of American Literature

Introduction

The history of American literature begins long before this land was called America. It was a fantastic evolution from tribal symbols and designs to today's Stephen King and Danielle Steel. Literature has actually gone through many stages and has been influenced by remarkable events and concepts in American history. The earliest kind of literature in what would one day be called America was far from what modern people think of as 'literature'. The natives who inhabited this land originally had unwritten methods for transmitting experiences, beliefs, and stories. The locals relied heavily on the oral telling of these stories to the younger generation. The same stories, myths, or belief structures were told in succession, each time similar to the last, and listeners memorized them so they could pass them on. next generation. They also used images, carvings, or special mementos such as bones, teeth, feathers, or skins as signs of amazing hunts or wars. Like other national literature, American literature has been shaped by the history of the country that gave birth to it. For almost a century and a half, America was just a group of colonies scattered along the east coast of the North American continent - colonies from which a few brave souls hesitantly set off west. After a successful rebellion against the motherland, America became the United States, a nation. By the end of the 19th century, this nation had spread south to the Gulf of Mexico, north to the 49th parallel, and west to the Pacific Ocean. By the end of the 19th century, it had also taken its place among the world powers - its destinies were so intertwined with the destinies of other nations that it inevitably became involved in two world wars, and after these conflicts, in the problems of Europe and East Asia. Meanwhile, the growth of science and industry, as well as changes in the way of thinking and feeling, led to many changes in people's lives. All these factors in the development of the United States have shaped the literature of the country. After the war, a general sense of aimlessness and defeat led to a movement in both modernism and anti-authoritarianism, and nihilism in literature and art. At this time, there was a sense of separation between the artist and the writer, and the general public. The disillusionment that grew out of the war contributed to the emergence of modernism, a genre that broke with traditional ways of writing, abandoning romantic views of nature and focusing on the inner world of the characters. Military literature takes a wide range of approaches in its efforts to make sense of the military experience and includes studies across a range of genres, including poetry, drama, short stories, novels, journals, diaries, oral histories, memoirs, and letters. Literature has changed over time, adapting former values, beliefs, and literary characteristics as the new era dawned; this progression is associated with a change in social attitudes towards show more content. During this period of time, American literature moves from an American basis to an American development. English writers mostly emphasize their own culture and mannerisms, while American writers discuss American history and social issues. Like the early writings in Britain, early American writings deal with topics related to religion and politics. By the first decades of the 19th century, truly American literature began to emerge. While still coming from literary tradition, the stories and novels published from the 1800s to the 1820s began to depict American society and explore the American landscape in an unprecedented way. History, current events, and social events have indeed influenced American literature. The surrounding world influenced the authors, and this was reflected in their works. After the war, a general sense of aimlessness and defeat led to a movement in both modernism and anti-authoritarianism, and nihilism in literature and art. At this time, there was a sense of separation between the artist and the writer, and the general public. After the war, impressive new novelists, poets, and playwrights emerged. In fact, there was a gradual change of the guard. Not only did a new generation emerge from the war, but its ethnic, regional, and social character was completely different from that of the previous one.

Mark Twain and O. Henry's contributions to the development of American literature

Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in the tiny village of Florida, Missouri on November 30, 1835, the sixth child of John and Jane Clemens. When he was 4, his family moved to nearby Hannibal, a bustling river town of 1,000. John Clemens worked as a storekeeper, lawyer, judge, and land speculator, dreaming of wealth, but never achieving it, sometimes it was difficult for him to feed his family. He was an unsmiling guy; According to one legend, young Sam never saw his father laugh. His mother, in contrast, was a cheerful, kind-hearted housewife who spent many winter nights telling stories for her family. She became head of the family in 1847 when John died unexpectedly. The Clemens family 'became almost destitute,' as a biographer, Everett Emerson wrote and were forced into years of economic struggle, a fact that would influence Twain's later career. His best-known novels included The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), which are loosely based on Twain's childhood experiences in Missouri. Twain also wrote numerous short stories, most notably 'The Famous Jumping Frog of Calaveras County'. A bestseller during Twain's lifetime (and one of the most popular travel stories ever published), Innocents Abroad documented Twain's travels through Europe and the Middle East in an amusing way. Twain's magnificent experiments with vernacular inspired writers around the world to create works of art. outside the language spoken by their compatriots - writers such as Johannes W. Jensen, considered the first great contemporary Danish writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Mark Twain's writing style is characterized by humor, strong storytelling and catchy descriptions, and brilliant control of spoken language. Mark Twain was a humorist, journalist, and writer who became famous throughout the world for his distinctive style of travel and fictional storytelling. One of Mark Twain's inspirations was John Ross Brown's note-taking style.

Twain's greatest contribution to American and world literature is the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Also very popular are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and Life on the Mississippi, a collection of autobiographical stories. Mark Twain began his career with unpretentious humorous couplets and ended with sketches of human manners full of subtle irony, sharply satirical pamphlets on socio-political topics, and philosophically deep and, at the same time, very pessimistic reflections on the fate of civilization. Many public speeches and lectures were lost or not recorded; individual works and letters were banned from publication by the author himself during his lifetime and for decades after his death. Twain was an excellent orator. Having received recognition and fame, Mark Twain spent a lot of time searching for young literary talents and helping them to break through, using his influence and the publishing company he acquired. Twain was fond of science and was friendly with Nikola Tesla. They spent a lot of time together in Tesla's laboratory. In his work A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Twain introduced time travel, as a result of which many modern technologies were introduced in Arthurian. The technical details are given in the novel testifying to Twain's good acquaintance with the achievements of contemporary science.

O. Henry (1862-1910) was an American short story writer whose real name was William Sidney Porter. Henry's rich artistic canon reflected his wide range of experience and was notable for its poignancy, clever puns, and unexpected endings. finally found his calling as a writer of short stories. He began working in his uncle's pharmacy in 1879 and became a licensed pharmacist by the age of 19. His first creative manifestations came while working in a pharmacy, where he made sketches of the townspeople who frequented the store. Customers responded warmly to his drawings, and he was admired for his artistry and ability to draw. Henry's best stories are 'The Gift of the Magi', 'The Red Chief's Ransom', 'Cabbage and Kings', 'After Twenty Years', and 'Whirligigs'. He was a prolific author, publishing some three hundred stories and several poems in his short literary career. He wrote stories inspired by ordinary people and everyday life, and his stories about middle and lower-class New Yorkers were extremely popular during and shortly after his life. His well-known and famous stories include 'The Gift of the Magi', 'The Ransom of the Red Leader', 'The Cop and the Anthem', 'The Way of the Caballero' and 'The Reformation Restored'. In a word, typical O. Henry's writing style can be summarized as follows: humorous language, unexpected endings, and a tearful smile. He was a prolific author, publishing some three hundred stories and several poems in his short literary career. He wrote stories inspired by ordinary people and everyday life, and his stories about middle and lower-class New Yorkers were extremely popular during and shortly after his life. Henry's stories often end unexpectedly. At one time he was called the American answer to Guy de Maupassant. While both writers wrote plot twists, O. Henry's stories were significantly more playful and also known for their witty storytelling. Henry's short story 'After Twenty Years' is about the reunion of two old friends: Jimmy and Bob. During their brief meeting, they explore themes of friendship, loyalty, and trust. Bob's punctuality in keeping up with Jimmy perhaps best demonstrates his commitment to their friendship. Henry's stories are interesting because they usually have an unexpected twist at the end. A twist in history is when something happens that you don't expect. Let's take a look at some of O. Henry's most famous stories. Some of his short stories, such as 'The Sacrifice', 'His Duty' and 'Trying to Get Arrested' were adapted as silent films during his lifetime. Henry and Mark Twain These are authors with extensive experience writing classic literature. Classical authors use their unique style to stand the test of time. Their style allows them to have topics that are still relevant.O. Henry's only novel, Kings and Cabbage, was published in 1904. In fact, this is not a novel, but a collection of short stories united by a commonplace of action. It was followed by collections of short stories: 'Four Million' (the number of inhabitants of New York), 1906), 'The Burning Lamp' (The Trimmed Lamp, 1907), 'Heart of the West' (Heart of the West, 1907), 'Voice of the City (The Voice of the City, 1908), The Gentle Grafter (1908]), Roads of Destiny (1909), The Choice (Options, 1909), Business People (Strictly Business, 1910) and Rotation (Whirligigs, 1910). The stories of O. Henry, each of which almost always contained a lot of beautifully contoured faces and an original, intricate plot, quickly gained popularity among American readers. Critics began to call the writer 'American Kipling', 'American Maupassant', 'American Gogol', 'American Chekhov' The collection 'Postscripts' (eng. Postscripts), published after the death of O. Henry, included feuilletons, sketches, and humorous notes written by him for the newspaper 'Post' (Houston, Texas, 1895-1896). In total, O. Henry wrote about 600 stories, and the complete collection of his works is 18 volumes. The characters in the works of O. Henry are often resilient petty swindlers. At the same time, they are kind and even noble. But, born in poor families, they are doomed to a miserable existence, from which they try with all their might to escape, and usually unsuccessfully. Their attempts to be happy, as a rule, are futile and turn into only new troubles, sometimes sad and funny.

Conclusion

In conclusion, American literature has evolved significantly over time, reflecting the social, political, and cultural changes of the country. From the oral tradition of native people to the modernist movement and anti-authoritarianism of the 20th century, American literature has been shaped by historical events and social attitudes. Mark Twain and O. Henry are two of the many writers who have contributed significantly to American literature. Twain's use of vernacular language and his works' autobiographical elements explored the American landscape and society. On the other hand, O. Henry's masterful use of irony and his compelling storytelling abilities established him as one of the most popular writers of his time. Their contributions continue to be celebrated, and their works remain relevant and insightful today. Overall, American literature is a rich and diverse reflection of the country's history, people, and culture, and it will undoubtedly continue to evolve and inspire future generations of readers and writers.