美国文学史问答题

WhatwastheHarlemRenaissanceorNewRenaissance?Howimportantissocialprotestexpressedin“Harlem”？TheHarlemRenaissancewasthedevelopmentoftheHarlemneighborhoodinNewYorkCityasablackculturalmeccaintheearly20thCenturyandthesubsequentsocialandartisticexplosionthatresulted.Lastingroughlyfromthe1910sthroughthemid-1950s,theperiodisconsideredagoldenageinAfricanAmericanculture,manifestinginliterature,music,stageperformanceandart.Intheearly1920s,manyAfricanAmericanwriters,painters,photographers,musicianscongregatedinNewYorkCity,startedmagazines,publishedanthologies,andpromotedthecreativityofthe“NewNegro”.Theycamefromfarmsandplantations,villages,townsandcitiesacrosstheUnitedStates.TheirworktransformedHarlem,anAfricanAmericanneighborhoodinNewYork,intoanintellectualandculturalcenterforAfricanAmericans.WhatisGreatAwakeninginAmericanhistory?WhatarethereasonsforthisGreatAwakeningandwhataretheoutcomes?Definition:TheGreatAwakeningtookplaceduringthe1730’s-1740’sincolonialAmerica,whichwasamovementrootedinspiritualgrowth,bringinganationalidentitytoColonialAmerica.CertainChristiansbegantodisassociatethemselveswiththeestablished/institutionalapproachtoworship.Peoplebegantogotolargegatheringstoworshipandpray.Reasons:Peoplefeltthatreligionwasdry,dullanddistant.Preachersfeltthatpeopleneededtobeconcernedwithinneremotionsasopposedtooutwardreligiousbehavior.PeopleintheNewEnglandareacouldnowreadandinterprettheBibleforthemselves(individualismratherthaninstitutionalism).Outcomes:Birthofdeepreligiousconvictionsinthecolonies.Colonistscouldbeboldwhenconfrontingreligiousauthority,andbreakawayiftheywerenotmeetingexpectations.Justaswithreligion,politicalpowerdidnotresidewithEnglishMonarchs,butwithcolonists’self-governance.ComparedtoBritishorEuropeanRomanticism,whataretheparticularcharacteristicsofAmericanRomanticism?NationalismgoeshandinwithromanticismAmericanromanticismdidnothavethepoliticalradicalismasseeninEuropeanromanticistsTheromanticcelebrationofnaturalbeautywasinspiredinpartbyadesiretoestablishanoriginalrelationshipwiththe"new”landscapeEventhoughtherewasdesiretobelessEuropean,theUnitedStatesasayoungcountrycouldnotbequitefreeofasenseofinferiorityor“colonialcomplex”infaceofEuropeWhatisthegeneralphilosophyofTranscendentalism?Whatis“manifestdestiny”？WhataretheinfluenceofthismovementonAmericancultureandAmericanliterature?ManifestDestiny,aphrasecoinedin1845byLouisO’SullivaninU.S.history,thesupposedinevitabilityofthecontinuedterritorialexpansionoftheboundariesoftheUnitedStateswestwardtothePacificandbeyond,whichisusedtojustifytheforcedremovalofNativeAmericansandothergroupsfromtheirhomes.TherapidexpansionoftheUnitedStatesintensifiedtheissueofslaveryasnewstateswereaddedtotheUnion,leadingtotheoutbreakoftheCivilWar.IthasenlivenedAmericanliteraturefromitsPuritanroots,tothehauntedGothicworldofearly19thcenturyandmid-centuryromance.What’smore,italsoencouragedtheimpulsetowardsself-definition,hencenationalism.MarkTwaincoinedthephrasethe“GildedAge”.WhataresomeofthesocialandculturalphenomenathatcharacterizedtheGildedAge?TheCivilWar,whichnotonlydestroyedtheinnocenceprevalentearlierinthe19thcentury,butalsochangethemapoftheUSA.

TheWestwardmovement,asteadyinfluxofimmigrants,andnewlydiscoveredmineraldepositsinthewest.ThedevelopmentofrailroadandcommunicationnetworkThecorruptioninpolicySocialDarwinismthatsurvivalofthefittesttosociologyandpoliticsThespreadofindustrialismledtoaseriesofsignificantchanges,factoryownersandmanagerscametoseemachinesasbeingmorevaluablethanworkers.WhatarethefourtypesoffictionalworksbyMarkTwain?HowimportantisMarkTwaintoAmericanliteratureandAmericanculture?WhatisNaturalism?WhataremajortenetsofNaturalism?Inphilosophy,naturalismisthe"ideaorbeliefthatonlynatural(asopposedtosupernaturalorspiritual)lawsandforcesoperateintheworld."Naturalismisaliterarymovementthatemphasizesobservationandthescientificmethodinthefictionalportrayalofreality.Thenovelwouldbeanexperimentwheretheauthorcoulddiscoverandanalyzetheforces,orscientificlaws,thatinfluencedbehavior,andtheseincludedemotion,heredity,andenvironment.NovelistswritinginthenaturalistmodeincludeEmileZola(itsfounder),ThomasHardy,TheodoreincludeEmileZola(itsfounder),ThomasHardy,TheodoreDreiser,StephenCrane,andFrankNorris.Majortanets:Writermustexaminepeopleandsocietyobjectivelyand,likeascientist,drawconclusionsfromwhatisobserved.Reality:theinescapableworkingoutofnaturalforcesDestinyisdecidedbyheredityandenvironment,physicaldrives,andeconomiccircumstances.Tendedtobepessimistic.DirectoppositeofRomanticismandTranscendentalism,whichsawnatureasholyormysticalDespitetheirunderlyingpowerlessness,charactersgenerallyconductthemselveswithstrengthanddignityinthefaceofadversity,therebyaffirmingthesignificanceoftheirexistence.WhatarethethemesofModernistLiterature?Collectivismversusindividualism;Disillusionment;Violenceandalienation;Decadenceanddecay;Lossanddespair;Breakdownofsocialnormsandculturalsureties;Raceandgenderrelations;TheAmericanDreamWhatwastheHarlemRenaissanceorNewNegroRenaissance?Howisthesocialprotestexpressedin“Harlem”？TheHarlemRenaissancewasafloweringofAfricanAmericansocialthoughtwhichwasexpressedthroughPaintingsMusicDanceTheaterLiterature.CenteredintheHarlemdistrictofNewYorkCity,theNewNegroMovement(asitwascalledatthetime)hadamajorinfluenceacrosstheUnitesStatesandeventheworld.ImportantQuotes:1.YellowwallpaperCharlottePerkinsGilmanTheYellowWall-paper^(1892)isapsychologicalandsuspensefultaleofisolationandinsanitybasedlargelyonGilman’sownexperiencewiththe“restcure”，whichwastoldfromthepointofviewofanamelessfemaleprotagonistwhoundergoestherestcure,inanancestralhome.Johnisadoctorwhoadministratesthe“restcure”byrenting“acolonialmansion”fortheirstayinsummer,combiningtheauthoritysocietyallowsaman.ThebeliefthatwomenwereasexualandsocialsubclasswasthethemenormdominatingAmericanhomeandsociallife.Societyallowedonlythemantomakemajorpublicandprivatedecision,whichcanexplainwhythat“ ”Importantquotes:YellowwallpaperByCharlottePerkinsGilman那是月亮，月亮和太阳一样，到处都在发光。我有时讨厌看到它，它爬的很慢，总是从一个或另一个窗口进来。约翰睡着了，我讨厌吵醒他，直到我感到毛骨悚然。身后那个模糊的身影似乎在晃动着图案，就好像她要跳出来似的。ImaginesinthesequotesMs.Gilmanshowstheunfairtreatmentofwomeninthesocietyatthattimebycreatingaseriesoftypicalimagesandusingsymbolism.Attheendofthe19thcenturyandthebeginningofthe20thcentury,theawakeningofthefemaleconsciousnessoftheheroinegavereadersabundantspiritualpower,whichplayedanactiveroleinpromotingthewomen'smovement.MoonandsunComparedwiththesun,whichsymbolizesmalepowerinthisnovel,moonlightissofter,lessharshandgentler.Intheevening,whentheheroinewantstoexpressherthoughts,thefemaleconsciousnessgraduallyemerges.Inthisnovel,moonlightseemstobesuppressedbythesun,andwomeninapatriarchalsocietyhaveahardtimemakingtheirvoicesheard.YellowwallpaperandthefaintfigureTheheroine'sobservationoftheyellowwallpaperisalmostinsane,whichisactuallytheawakeningoffemaleconsciousnessinherheart.Atthispoint,theheroinerealizesthatthethingsinthewallpaperareabouttocrawlout,whichactuallyreflectshersubconscious,tryingtoresistthisterriblebondage.Thiswasthebeginningofherconsciousness.2.First-personnarrative（两个问题可以通用！）"I"isnotonlyaliteraryexpressionoftheauthor'sexperience,butalsoareflectionofthestatusofwomeninsocietyatthattime.Thefirst-personnarrationby"I"canmoredirectlytellreaderswhatwomenthinkandsoundlike,whichhelpstoresistthepatriarchalideologyofthetime.Thenarrationof"I"inthenovelismoreliketellingthereaderintheformofconversation,andmakingthereaderthinkandfeelthesituationof"I"inthewayof"I",whichismoredelicateandpersuasive.Andtobetoldby"I"asthesubjectofthestoryisalsoasubversionofthediscourseunderthecontrolofpatriarchy,whichmakesthereadersmorelikelytobemoved,sotheyfeelmoredeeplyabouttheexperienceofthenarratorandresonateintheheart.1.Yellowwallpaper ByCharlottePerkinsGilman1.TheforfeitofwordspowerinwomenandpaternityCharhottePerkinsGilman,theforerunnerofAmericafeministmovement,hasrevealedthemiserableexperienceofthemiddleclasswomenwhosethoughtsahuanndbehaviorshavebeencontrolledbythepatriarchalcultureinhermasterworkTheYellowWallpaper.Thechangesofmindandbodyafter"mythoughtshavebeencontrolledbythehusband,explorestherootofit,disclosethatitisthetraditionalandunculturedpatriarchythathasdeprivedfemale'sthoughtsanddiscourserightstopreservemale'sdominantposition,whichputsfemaleinthepressedandtheOtherposition.The"I"in"yellowwallpaper"isherhusband'saccessory,asensitive,dreamy,fragilewomanwhohasnodirectsourceofincomeandhastorelyonherhusbandforallofherlife.Herhusband,John,isarationalandobjectivedoctorwhocombinesfamilyandsocialauthority.Hehashisownsocialactivitiesandisasymbolofpatriarchy.So"I"wasdeprivedofallactivitiesduringthetreatment.Asawomaninthe19thcentury,thespiritualoppressionsufferedbywomenatthattimecamefrommarriageandfamily,traditionalpracticesandsocialmechanisms,fromthatspecialera.Theexistenceof"I"andeducationwerethecausesandsufferingsofmanywomeninthesocietyatthattime.Fromtheperspectiveofhistory,womenwereoppressedbymenandlosttheirrighttospeak.AgainstthebackgroundoftheAmericanerainthe19thcentury,middle-classeducatedwomenseemedtohavewarmfamiliesandcaringhusbands.However,traditionandsocialprejudicestillmakewomensufferfrombothsocialandmaleoppression,andmostwomen'sstatusisstillconfinedtothehome,doinghouseworkandtakingcareofchildren.Thefamilyisbecomingmoreandmoreofacage,andtheroleofwomeninsocietyisbecominglessandlessimportant.Butbecausemostmiddle-classwomenarewelleducated,theyshowdeepconcernabouttheirsocialstatus.Theywantindependenceandfreedom:theyarepracticalandromantic,theyawakentheirownpowerandhavenocontroloverit.Theheroineofyellowwallpaperisaportraitofthesewomen.ThethemeofYellowwallpaper:theawakeningofwomen'sself-consciousness,oppositionandpursuit.Atthattime,womensuffragemovementbrokeoutwhileinliterature,writingonthe“womenquestion”mostlymeantcritiquingtheVictorianistculturalcodesandpromotingwomen’sliberation.However,theircreativitymetwithstrongresistancefromthe“goodsociety”.Inliterature,ambiguity,irony,andideologyarepartsofthetopic.2.Theroadnottaken.Whatisthepoemabout?Thepoemisaboutadilemma,theneedtocometoadecision/solveaproblem.Whatdoestheroadsymbolize?Theroad=LifeSymbolism-theuseofaconcreteimage(symbol)torepresentanabstractidea.Whatisthemaindilemmainthepoem?Thespeakerisataforkintheroad-hehastochoosewhichwaytogo.Theforkintheroadisametaphorforapointinlifewhenyouneedtomakeachoice.Ametaphorisatypeofcomparisoninwhichonethingisdescribedasifitwassomethingelse(example:lifeisaboxofchocolates)Howdoesthespeakersolvehisdilemma?HecomparesthetworoadsHeweighstheprosandconsHetriestoforeseethefutureWhichroaddoeshechoose?thelesstraveledbyThemoreadventurous/thelessconventionalTheRoadNotTaken”isoneofRobertFrost’smostfamiliarandmostpopularpoems.Itismadeupoffourstanzasoffivelineseach,andeachlinehasbetweeneightandtensyllablesinaroughlyiambicrhythm;thelinesineachstanzarhymeinanabaabpattern.Thepopularityofthepoemislargelyaresultofthesimplicityofitssymbolism:Thespeakermustchoosebetweendivergingpathsinawood,andheseesthatchoiceasametaphorforchoosingbetweendifferentdirectionsinlife.Nevertheless,forsuchaseeminglysimplepoem,ithasbeensubjecttoverydifferentinterpretationsofhowthespeakerfeelsabouthissituationandhowthereaderistoviewthespeaker.In1961,Frosthimselfcommentedthat“TheRoadNotTaken”is"atrickypoem,verytricky.”Frostwrotethepoeminthefirstperson,whichraisesthequestionofwhetherthespeakeristhepoethimselforapersona,acharactercreatedforthepurposesofthepoem.AccordingtotheLawranceThompsonbiography,RobertFrost:TheYearsofTriumph(1971),FrostwouldoftenintroducethepoeminpublicreadingsbysayingthatthespeakerwasbasedonhisWelshfriendEdwardThomas.InFrosfswords,Thomaswas“apersonwho,whicheverroadhewent,wouldbesorryhedidn’tgotheother.”Inthefirststanzaofthepoem,thespeaker,whilewalkingonanautumndayinaforestwheretheleaveshavechangedtoyellow,mustchoosebetweentwopathsthatheadindifferentdirections.Heregretsthathecannotfollowbothroads,butsincethatisnotpossible,hepausesforalongwhiletoconsiderhischoice.Inthefirststanzaandthebeginningofthesecond,oneroadseemspreferable;however,bythebeginningofthethirdstanzahehasdecidedthatthepathsareroughlyequivalent.Laterinthethirdstanza,hetriestocheerhimselfupbyreassuringhimselfthathewillreturnsomedayandwalktheotherroad.Attheendofthethirdstanzaandinthefourth,however,thespeakerresumeshisinitialtoneofsorrowandregret.Herealizesthatheprobablywillneverreturntowalkthealternatepath,andinthefourthstanzaheconsidershowthechoicehemustmakenowwilllooktohiminthefuture.Thespeakerbelievesthatwhenhelooksbackyearslater,hewillseethathehadactuallychosenthe“lesstraveled”road.Healsothinksthathewilllaterrealizewhatalargedifferencethischoicehasmadeinhislife.Twoimportantdetailssuggestthatthespeakerbelievesthathewilllaterregrethavingfollowedhischosenroad:Oneistheideathathewill"sigh”ashetellsthisstory,andtheotheristhatthepoemisentitled“TheRoadNotTaken”一mplyingthathewillneverstopthinkingabouttheotherpathhemighthavefollowed.TheRoadNotTakenAnalysisbyRobertFrostThepathsthatthepoetmustchoosebetweenin“TheRoadNotTaken”maybeliteralaswellassymbolic.IfFrostistobebelieved,thepoemmeansexactlywhatitseemstomean一aboutawalkalongaforesttrail.However,mostreadershavethoughtthatthepoetisactuallytalkingaboutlife,andhowinlifewemustallmakedifficultchoices.Ifweacceptthisinterpretation,thenwecanreadthepoemintwoways.Wecanreadthepoemasmeaningthatwhateverdecisionthepoettookinhislifewasafinalone,onetowhichhecouldneverreturnandelecttochoosetheotheralternative.Inthiscase,thepoetisfilledwithregretthatthetimeforchoosinghaspassedhimby,andonlyconsoleshimselfbysayinghehasmadeagoodchoicelikeinthestoryinwhichthewolfishappywithsourgrapesasheisunabletoreachsweetgrapesthatgrowveryhighupinthetrees.However,wecanalsoreadthepoemtomeanthatheistrulysatisfiedwiththechoicehehasmade.Inthiscase,whenthepoetrevisitstheepisodeinthefuture,hebelievesthateventhoughhewillnotbeabletomakethedecisionagain,hischoicehadmatteredagreatdealinhislife.Ithasbeenbeneficialforhimtochoosethepaththatothershavenotchosen,forthatmakeshimunique.Asthepopularadagegoes-hosewhoaredifferentdonotnecessarilydodifferentthings;theydothingsdifferently.Asthewornoutandlessgrassypathshowshim,thedecisionhewasfacedwithwasnotanunprecedentedone;othershadalsohadtomakethesamedecision.However,thepoethadmadethelesspopularchoice,andthatiswhathasmarkedhimasindividualistic,andaccountedforhissuccessinlife.Rhymescheme:Everystanzaof“TheRoadNotTaken”byRobertFrostfollowsthesamesimplerhymescheme-ABCCB.Thisrhymeschemeiselegantandcanbeappropriatedtoexpressalmostanymoodthatapoetwishestoexpress,whetherjoyorsorrow.Thatisprobablywhatmakesthispoemdifficulttointerpret,andonecanneversaywithanyamountofcertaintywhetherthepoetissatisfiedwithhisdecisiontotakethesecondpathatthejunctionontheforesttrailalongwhichheiswalking,orwhetherheregretschoosingit.Rhetoricaldevices:1ststanza:Invertedsentence:Thisrhetoricaldeviceisusedwhenapoetchangesthesequenceofwordsinsomelineofhisorherpoeminordertomaintaintherhymeschemechosenbyhimorher.Frostusesthisdeviceinthethirdlineofthefirststanzaof“TheRoadNotTaken”whenhewrites"..longIstood”，insteadofwriting“Istood(fora)long(time)”atthejunctionintheforesttrail.Asyoucanseefromareadingofthispoem,Frostdoesnotusetoomanyrhetoricaldevices.Hispoetryissimple,andeasytofollow.However,thisdoesnotmakehimanylessgreatapoetthanheisthoughttobe,anddoesnottakeanythingawayfromhisskilfulwriting.Itisagifttobeabletosayalotbyusingasfewwordsashedoes,andweshouldappreciatehimforthesame.CentralIdeaofthePoemIn“TheRoadNotTaken”，Frostistellinghisreadersthateverydecision(whetherinthecourseofone’stravels,orinthecourseoflifeitself)needstobemadewithcarefulconsiderationoftheprosandconsinvolvedinmakingeitherchoice.Oncethedecisionhasbeenmade,itcanalsoberevisited,andyoucangainsomeretrospectiveinsightonit.Youwillprobablybeplaguedwithdoubtsandregretsatthispoint,butyoumuststrivetobesatisfiedwiththechoiceyouhadmade.ThemesofthePoemCarefuldecision-making:Inthispoem,Frosttellsusthateverydecisionwemakeinlifemustbemadecarefully.Wemaythinkthatwecanoverturnalldecisionssoonerorlater,butthereisapointinlifewherewewillrealizethatthedecisionswemakehaveconsequences,andthatsomedecisionscanbepermanent.Avoidingherd-mentality:Inthispoem,Frostmaybetellingusthatitmightbehardtobedifferentfromothers,butitisnotabadthing.Whileit’seasytotakethepaththateveryonebeforeyouhastaken,thatpathwillneverwillyouanywherenew.Itwillnotletyoustandout.Ontheotherhand,ifyouforgeyourownpathinlife,youwillbeabletoinnovateandthatwillmostprobablyleadtosuccessratherthanfailure.ThetoneofthispoemisperhapsthereasonthatFrostbelievesthat“TheRoadNotTaken”isthemostmisunderstoodoneamongallhispoems.Thoughthepoemhasasolemntone,Frostclaimsthatitwaswritteninalightmood,andthatithasnogreatersignificancethanthatofawalkinwhichhehadtochoosebetweenwhichpathtotake.Conclusion:LikemostofFrosfspoetry,“TheRoadNotTaken”seemstobeasimplepoematafirstreading.However,whetherfrostagreesornot,thepoemisactuallymulti-layeredandcanbereadasanallegoryoflifeitself,andofthemanycrossroadsthatyoumustcometointhecourseofyourlife,andthedecisionsyoumustmakeasaresultofthat.AdventuresofHuckleberryFinnMarkTwain有时，那位寡妇会把我拉到一边，喋喋不休地谈论上帝的旨意，好让人流口水，但也许第二天沃森小姐又会抓住机会，把它全部推倒。我看的很清楚，事情是有两下子的，一个可怜人是会对一个寡妇的远见抱有相当大的希望的，可是如果华生小姐把他抓住了他就别无他法了。WidowDouglas,Huck’s"guardian”，shetakesHuckinandtriestochangehimthroughbeliefinGod’slove.WhileMissWatson,thewidow’ssister,shetriestochangeHuckthroughfearofGod’spunishment.Herecometheconflictsbetweenthosetwowomen,whichcanbedescribedastheencounterofGod’sbelief(WidowDouglas)andmoderneducationalideas(MissWatson).Herealsoexiststhesecondconflict——ThewidowDouglasrecognizedHuckasheradoptedson,andpromisedtoteachhimhowtobehavewellunderthebeliefofGod.Thewidowandhersister,MissWatson,werestrictwithhim,tryingto"civilize"himaccordingtothemanyrulesofcivilizedsociety.ButHuckcouldn'tstandthetritewayoflife,whichmadehimfeellonely.Hisescapewasaconflicttowardsthem,whorepresentasymbolofbourgeoissocialpowerandtheindividualyearningforfreedomandindependence.Therigideducationofcivilizedsocietycanonlysuppresshumannature,restrainhumanthought,andmakepeoplefeelquiet.Huck'sflightwasarebellionagainstthisstyleofparenting,andinfactMarkTwain'scritiqueofdoctrinairelife.TheOpenBoat海浒似乎立刻挤满了人，为人忙,带着毛毯、衣物利水瓶，女人们带着帅啡壶以及她们视为和圣的杵种药诂=陆地对海I：来客的激迫是魂烈而愫慨的，但是.一个静默的、水淋淋的形佐被慢慢地拾上海滩，陆地.时他的戒迎只能是另外一神友好接推，给他提供一个队森森的坟基。夜幕降临时*口浪在月光中藩来荡去，.风把大海的声音传绐岸上的人.也们觉得仕们现在能够解释这大海的声音了U"TheOpenBoat"isashortstorybyAmericanauthorStephenCrane.Therelationshipsbetweenpeopleinlandandseabycomparison.Beforetheunityofthosefourpeople,peopleinlandisquitedistantandnumbtowardstheirrescueandcall,andevenfailedtounderstandtheirbehaviors.Whileinthelastpartofthispassage,wecanhardtoignorethatpeopleinlandvolunteeredtohelpthem,whichcanexpresstheauthor’scallforamiableandharmonious