37
namely, Alaska and California. In addition, one of the main events in the history
was the Great Depression of 1929, the New
Economic Policy of Franklin
Roosevelt, as a result the United States became the leading world power by the
beginning of the Second World War.
People's discontent and the rise of the labor movement contributed to
development of proletarian literature and manifested themselves in sympathy for
the ideas of socialism. This was reflected in the work of Sinclair Lewis, Sherwood
Anderson, Eugene O'Neill, and Carl Sandberg. In 1935 the anthology called
«Proletarian literature in the United States» was published. Its authors were 63
writers. Among
them were John Dos Passos, Erskine Caldwell, Clifford Odets,
literary critic Malcolm Cowley.
18
The theme of the «American dream» has changed a lot in the US literature,
which clearly sounded in the literature of 19th century and was further developed
in the literature of the 20th century. Now optimistic belief in the prosperity of
America and the happiness granted wealth was questioned. The theme of the
«American Dream» transformed into the theme of «American tragedy». «An
American tragedy» is the so-called Theodor Dreiser's most famous novel.
The gloomy atmosphere of America's economic crisis
is transmitted in the
works of John Steinbeck (1902-1968), especially in the story «Of Mice and Men»
(1937), and in the novel called «The Grapes of Wrath» (1939). In this work is told
about the working family of Jowd, crossing America in search of earnings. The
novel is based on facts, collected by the writer in acquaintance with the life of
seasonal workers. The viability of the book provoked a contradictory reaction: in
some states it has been banned and burned. In the year 1940 Steinbeck was
awarded for the novel «The Grapes of Wrath» Pulitzer Prize.
The literature of this period is divided into 3 periods:
1) 1890-1900-ies. - The dominance
of positivism, the strong influence of late
romanticism;
18
Green, Nancy L.
"Expatriation, Expatriates, and Expats
: The American Transformation of a Concept."
Chicago
Journals
114.2 (2009): 307-28. The University of Chicago Press. Web. 12 Mar. 2012
38
2) from the late 1910s to the 1930s - American literature solves the issue of
individual skill, the romantic conflict of culture and civilization is widespread;
3) 1930's. - Lyrical and epic (naturalistic technique and a romantic idea of a
new type of individualism) are reconciled. Observing the politicization of literature
in connection with the economic crisis, civil wars, and the threat of fascism;
The 30s were marked by a rapid labor movement. Under the influence of
these events, American writers intensify criticism of the capitalist order. Among
them were Thomas Wolfe
and John Steinbeck;
4) the end of the 30-ies - until 1945. In these years, many American writers
are included in the struggle against Hitlerism. Hemingway, Sinclair and others
publish anti-fascist works;
5) post-war years (after 1945);
The post-war period is characterized by a period of the Cold War. It includes
works by Alexander Saxton, Shirley Graham,
Lloyd Brown, William Saroyan,
William Faulkner.
The search for new ways in literature went along different paths:
1) in an in-depth study of the human psyche (F. Scott Fitzgerald);
2) at the level of a formal experiment;
3) in studying the laws of the new society (William Faulkner);
4) outside of America, in the flight of man from civilization (Ernest
Hemingway);
After World War II, there is a certain decline
in the development of
literature, but this does not apply to poetry and drama, where the works of the
poets Robert Lowell and Alan Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and Lawrence Ferlingetti,
playwrights Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee have received
worldwide fame.
In the postwar years, the anti-racist theme is deepening. This is evidenced by
Lengston Hughes'
poetry and prose, John Killens' novels («Youngblood», «And
Then We Heard the Thunder»), James Baldwin's journalism, and Lorraine