AUTHORS: Mark Twain- The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Bret Harte-

The Outcasts of Poker Flat Ambrose Bierce- An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Kate Chopin- The Story of an Hour Willa Cather- A Wagner Matinee Jack London- To Build a Fire Stephen Crane- The Open Boat Sherwood Anderson- Sophistication Ernest Hemingway- In Another Country Katherine Anne Porter- The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Thomas Wolfe- The Far and the Near Eudora Welty- A Worn Path John Steinbeck- Flight F. Scott Fitzgerald- The Great Gatsby Toni Morrison- The Bluest Eye Ezra Pound- In a Station of the Metro The River-Merchants Wife: A Letter Amy Lowell- Patterns William Carlos Williams- The Locust Tree in Flower The Red Wheelbarrow This is Just to Say T.S. Eliot- The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock Carl Sandburg- Grass The People, Yes Chicago Robert Frost- Birches Mending Wall Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Realism: -Sought to portray ordinary life as real people -characters more important than action/plot -reality in detail -live it, show characters and events in an objective almost factual way -plausible events, novels avoid dramatic effect -diction: natural vernacular -tone: comic, satiric, matter of fact -Regionalism: -local color, specific geographical areas, dialect, descriptions of customs, manners, attitudes, scenery -Naturalism: -accurate depiction of reality, vernacular, plot based -not interested in individuality like Realism -central belief individual beings are at mercy of uncontrollable larger forces originating inside/outside of them -writers more likely to be political -expose cruelty of larger forces(finance, environment, economy) -relatable stories to middle class
Notorious Jumping Frog Mark Twain

Plot/Characters: the narrator asks Simon Wheeler if he knows a Leonidas W. Smiley. Wheeler tells story of Jim Smiley the lucky gambler with legless dog Andrew Jackson, and Frog Danl Webster which he finally loses a bet with because the guy loads its stomach with BBs Literary Term: Humor- Twain used exaggeration Style: very Colloquial, comical, informal Realism/Regionalism: local color, story as a whole was realistic, the interaction between characters was plausible Themes: non found, only comic relief (in the words of Ms. Bentley, the theme is what you want it to be) The Outcasts at Poker Flat- Bret Harte Plot/Characters: gambler John Oakhurst, the Duchess, Mother Shipton, Uncle Billy get kicked out of town, meet up with Tom Simpson and Piney Woods who effect the characters for the better; Uncle Billy runs away with the donkey, storm comes Shipton sacrifices her food for Piney, Oakhurst and Simpson leave for help, Oakhurst(suicide, I think) Piney and Duchess die Style: informal, simple/sympathetic to characters Regionalism: description of town, weather storm, Themes: hard times bring out the best in you An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Ambrose Bierce Plot/Characters: Man(Peyton Farquhar) is set to be hung off the bridge, As he falls he imagines an elaborate, but very unrealistic Journey of his escape, flashback to how a northern soldier tricked him into attempting to burn down the bridge, in the end reader is told that the hanging was actually successful Literary Terms: Point of View (1st, 3rd limited and omniscient) Style: objective narration of realistic events

Realism/Naturalism: realistic depiction of war and death, no happy ending, details make journey believable, accurate portrayal of soldier Themes: inevitable is inevitable, you cant escape it, mocks transcendentalist view of war, war is harsh but fair The Story of an Hour- Kate Chopin Plot/Characters: Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart trouble, her sister Josephine tells her that her husband had died in railroad accident, Mrs. Mallard spends her time thinking and realizes that now she is not burdened by being a subordinate women, she was free from her husband, in the end Mr. Brently Mallard shows up being not dead but Mrs. Mallard dies from what doctor says heart disease Literary Terms: Irony(Dramatic-reader knows)(Situational-unexpected happens, what takes place in story of an hour)(Verbal-Saracasm), symbolism(closed door but open window representing freedom) Style: informal, omniscient narrator, simple and direct Realism: realistic ending, individuality, detail, objective narration Themes: limitations/oppresiveness of marriage, dont compromise yourself for someone else A Wagner Matinee Willa Cather Plot/Characters: narrator Clark, receives a letter from Uncle Howard informing him that his wife Aunt Georgiana is coming to Boston to stay with him, she brings back memories from his childhood, they go to the concert and at the end she doesnt want to leave because she is alive in the concert hall but back as a farmer when she leaves Literary Terms: characterization Style: sympathetic to characters, descriptive/detailed, informal, objective Realism: Very descriptive about music Naturalism: power of Nature to affect body, wrinkled body from working land, harsh toll of life Themes: endurance of human spirit, body fades but passion stays, music evokes memories To Build a Fire-Jack London Plot/Characters: Against warning, a man hikes out in bitter cold weather alone in the Yukon with his dog, thin ice breaks and he tries to start a fire to dry himself off, he cant start the fire and eventually tries to run, but keeps falling until he gives up fighting nature tells his dog to leave and save itself then dies Literary Terms: Conflict(external/internal) Style: informal, objective narration Realism: very realistic, Naturalism: man is powerless against nature, he dies of harsh cold, Themes: man is subject to immense power of nature, The Open Boat - Stephen Crane Plot- Four sailors are stranded in the Atlantic. For most of their ordeal, they believe that they are about to be rescued but are continually disappointed. Finally, they are rescued and all survive but the oiler, who's death seems meaningless. Literary Terms- Allusion, irony, dramatic irony Style- Eloquent w/ somewhat formal diction, short sentences bookend paragraphs Realism- Accurate depiction of sailing and being stranded, accuracy in depiction of the sea

Naturalism- nature's indifference to man, respect towards nature's power Characters- Oiler, cook, correspondent, captain Themes: Nature's indifference to man, strength of perseverance Modernism (Summaries are very general) Sophistication by Sherwood Anderson Summary: George thinks his lonely life is meaningless. Helen is at home and remembers George. They find each other and have a silent night in the park. They become youthful. Also, Helen had run from her home, mother and college instructor to be with George. Themes Meaninglessness of life Love is the only answer to the limitations of life Characteristics of Modernism: Omniscient narrator, fragmented story (w/o resolution, clear beginning), characters are confused, disillusioned, life's meaninglessness Style Colloquial Lacks transition In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway Summary: A man wounded during WWI is sent to a hospital in Milan, Italy. He is alienated by others except for a disgruntled major. A doctor constantly reassures patients that machines will fix their wounds. Major resists treatment but breaks down due to the death of his wife. Themes Alienation and Disillusionment Characteristics of Modernism: fractured storytelling, inclusion of the Grotesque Style The Iceberg Theory/ Theory of Omission: include no superfluous details and write only the surface of the story Simple, direct prose and objective description The Jilting of Granny Weatherall by Katherine Anne Porter Summary: Follows Granny Weatherall's last day. At first, she rejects a Young Doctor due to his age and is cared for by Cornelia. She has various flashbacks about her life, her children, her husband, and her jilting. She becomes more delirious and a priest comes to secure her soul. Granny asks God to give her a sign, but there is no response and she dies. Themes The negative treatment of the elderly by youth Enduring heart of the elderly Confusion and uncertainty in death Characteristics of Modernism: Stream of consciousness and flashbacks, feelings of uncertainty, fragmented storytelling w/ implied themes Style Informal third person

Very simple diction The Far and the Near by Thomas Wolfe Summary: An engineer on a train passes by a town for his entire career. Every time he passes, he blows the whistle and a young mother and daughter would wave at him. He retires, visits the town but is shocked that the women are rude, hostile and ugly. Themes Expectations v. reality Characteristics of Modernism: fragmented storytelling, limited point of view Style Third person limited point of view Shifting point of view (Narrator objective while on train, subjective in town) Vivid imagery, lyrical language Long sentences The Worn Path by Eudora Welty Summary: An old woman makes an arduous journey into town to get medicine for her son, who may or may not be alive. She is very old, and shows signs of dementia, making her son's state uncertain. Themes Love for another can give the strength to overcome obstacles Perseverance = success Sometimes one must simply have faith Characteristics of Modernism: third person limited, uncertainty and ambiguity, fragmented storytelling, themes not stated Style Short but poetic and detailed sentences Creates tone of resolve Long descriptions Flight by John Steinbeck Summary: Follows a young Pepe who, after a journey into town (Monterey County) where he kills a man who insults him, must flee into the wilderness. Pepe braves through various obstacles, both natural and human, but is finally wounded. Succumbing to his wounds, he stands up and is shot, dying like a man. Themes Perseverance to survive Running from one's problems can lead to disaster Adulthood and the loss of innocence Characteristics of Modernism: humans are controlled by random forces (nature) beyond their comprehension Style Descriptive language Views characters as products of their setting

Imagism-Poetry of the Modern Age:

Reacted against earlier ideas of filling poetry full of abstract ideas like freedom, truth, and beauty Images are important for their own sake Stand alone as work of art, evoke emotion Direct, straightforward, simple presentation of subject Words only necessary for that direct presentation Rhythms of actual speech: no rhyme/meter Ezra Pound: In a Station of the Metro Metaphor: petals on wet black bough represent peoples faces in the metro Pessimism: meaningless life Variation of haiku Theme: Human contact in the city is as vulnerable and fleeting as a petal in a rainstorm The River-Merchants Wife: A Letter Imagery: butterflies Theme: Learning to love is a process that takes time and sometimes requires separation from the loved one Symbols: Childs bangs-innocence Moss-despair/time Letter-undying love Summary The woman and her husband when they were young played together innocently Woman married him at 14, was very shy about her love At 15 her true love for him comes out, she wants to be with him forever At 16 the husband leaves and goes to Ku-to-yen He was very sad to go, and she is too while he is gone Amy Lowell: Patterns Connection to imagism Emphasizes a set of images that reflect the speakers emotions Leader of imagist movement Style: simple, free verse, descriptive Consonance, onomatopoeia Alliteration, rhyme, repetition Theme: Freedom resisting conformity what are patterns for? The patterns of society can be destructive to the individual Direct presentation of poems subject, language

Summary Starts with a woman walking in a patterned garden path She is wearing a dress and high heeled ribbon shoes She then imagines herself playing and laughing with her lover She then receives a letter that he died in battle She says when they were to be married in a month they would have broken the pattern together She denounces patterns in the end of the poem Characters Woman Lover/fianc Messenger William Carlos Williams: The Locust Tree in Flower No simile/personification Simple Imagery Style: Extremely simple, one word lines, ragged broken rhythm calls attention to the words defining each image Themes: Aging is inevitable Regeneration of life The persistence of the seasons is reflected in the way blossoms appear even on an old stiff tree The Red Wheel Barrow Connection to imagism Simple images and language Literary elements Assonance Imagery Symbols Red: blood/humans White :purity Blue: water/life Word wheel barrow is separated for emphasis Themes Mans relationship w/ nature The duties in life How seemingly ordinary objects can be significant This is Just to Say Connection to imagism Image of plums used to duplicate the impact of an everyday sensation on the speaker

 Style: Short lines each stressing one word Imagery Themes: Choices in life, guilt T. S. Eliot The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock: Summary: -Prufrock describes a city and how he is in love with a woman but is afraid to talk to her -Scared of faults others will find in him (ie. signs of aging) -Drops idea of relationship and lives miserable life Literary devices: Stream of consciousness, repetition/parallelism, allusion, imagery Imagism: Free verse, Only uses words that are necessary Style: Literary allusions, Stream of consciousnessuncertainty of modernism Themes: -If you dont take risks you wont achieve anything -Awareness of mortality -Humans can be harsh towards one another Robert Frost Birches Summary: -Birches bent by weight of ice -Imagines birches bent from boy swinging on branches (what he did as a child) Literary devices: Symbols (boy=youth), similes, metaphors, personification, imagery, alliteration and assonance, onomatopoeia Themes: -In isolation and solitude, one learns to respect nature -Longing for youth (man longs for the carefree and nave attitude he has as a child, wants an escape from the irrational world where he is forced to accept the Truth, but does not want to relive his life) -Misses his youth but his standards are different now and he wont abandon his responsiblities Style: Blank verse, iambic pentameter, 1st person, informal ,Simple w/ long descriptive language and hidden meaning Mood: nostalgic, lonely Modernism/Imagism: Lack of exposition, no transitions, Stream of consciousness Mending Wall: Summary -Man and neighbor survey wall separating properties; man does not see purpose in wall and proposes not fixing it (apple v. pine trees); neighbor refuses to stray from tradition Literary devices: Alliteration, metaphors, anastrophe (prominent line), personification Themes: -Isolation v. community -Curiosity and challenge of traditional beliefs Style: Iambic pentameter, blank verse, 1st person

Informal, figurative language, Tone=comical and adamant Modernism/Imagism: Uncertainty , lack of transitions, expositions, and resolution Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Summary: -Man in woods but cannot rest because must continue with journey Literary devices:Repetition, personification,symbols (woods=unknown), imagery Themes: -Value of persistence -Isolation in nature -One cannot rest when their responsibilities are not complete, and one cannot die when they have not fulfilled their destiny Style: Figurative language, informal, dark tone, rhyme scheme (AABA) Modernism: no exposition, stream of consciousness, limited POV Carl Sandburg: Grass: Summary: -grass asks to be able to do its work and cover bodies and destruction of war to the point where ruin is unrecognizable Literary devices: Personification, metaphor Style: Repetition (frustrated tone), free verse Themes: -After humans kill one another in recurring wars, they let nature cover up their dirty work -People forget the lessons of history. Consequently, they repeat the mistakes that caused the wars of the past -People forget the fallen heroes of war after several years pass Imagism: uses as few words as necessary, no transitions or clear exposition/resolution, simple and direct The People, Yes Summary: -People endure and survive outstanding hardships; ability which is uniquely human; relates hardships and force behind humanity to nature and the universe -People march without knowing future or destination Literary devices: -Parallelism, assonance, alliteration -Symbolism -Sea, salt, and the winds=hardship -Earth=life, hope, and home -Darkness=confusion and despair -Constellations and stars=unknown force behind humanity; map Style: 3rd person, free verse (natural, informal, matches people in poem) Themes: -Even when lost, a person can survive as long as they have hope and a will to live.

-Perseverance is the driving force behind a persons life and prosperity. -Imagism: inspires emotional response, straightforward, no strict rhythm Chicago: Summary: -Describes Chicago and all of its industries and characteristics -Contrasts the gossip of Chicagos crimes and cruelty to its tough, hardworking, and perseverant population -The city and people are deeply connected; Chicago is young and nave but has potential for a bright future Style: Free verse, 1st person Tone: Arrogant, proud, nave Literary Devices: Personification, parallelism, simile Themes: -Crime and hardship is inevitable in areas of rapid development. -The path to prosperity requires a beginning and improvement. Imagism: Emotional response, natural/unstructured rhythm, use of images, simple and direct language Literary Terms Round characters: Fully developed, complex

Flat characters: one-dimensional Grotesque: one who lives for one truth/value The Iceberg Theory: (in In Another Country notes) Stream of Consciousness: writing that attempts to mirror the natural flow of human thought Flashback: recollection of earlier events described by a narrator Ambiguity: uncertainty of intention or meaning Enjambment: split up idea between sentences Point of View (1st, 3rd limited and omniscient) Parallelism: use of similar verbal structure Anastrophe: inversion of normal syntactic order of words (ex. Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear) Parable: a story used to illustrate a moral lesson Aphorism: a concise statement containing a general truth Paradox: a true, seemingly self-contradictory statement NOTE: Know all of the general literary terms that we learned last trimester.