美国文学读后感

第一篇：美国文学读后感

About Writing

Experience and thinking makes a great writer is what I learned from the book “History and Anthology of American Literature”.Traveling and adventure to the literature creation is what source to a river.Those writers who are popular around the world all have tremendous experience which are deeply influence their literature achievements.A book always reflects the background of the time, the trend of the society and the movement of the new thinking.Only people who involve themselves in the stream of history and observe the subtle change of the events can create great works.Ralph Waldo Emerson is the leader of Transcendentalism and famous in literature circle.He is an American but he travelled to Europe, spending most of his time in Italy and England which are helpful to his work.Herman Melville's adventure led to his literature career.A writer with few life experience is just like a dying well which can't produce water.There is an old saying that experience is our life treasure and we get it at the cost of time and youth.If experiences are the bricks of a literature, then thinking is the concrete which makes the bricks together and in a shape.No matter how many material a person has, they are dead before analysing and assembling.The reason why writers are knowledgeable and sensitive is that they would dig into the events while others just stay on the surface.Writers always learn from each other and argue if they come into conflicts.one can't make a carriage at home without learning from others.It is the same that Sharing ideas with others is powerful than thinking by oneself.It's hard to be a writer acknowledged by the public.Many writers fail to publish their works or are refused by thousands of magazines.Some are even pool and notorious through the whole life, but their books become popular years after they die.Then people begin to pay attention to these unknown writers.The works are still the works when they are alive, but why there's such a big difference?

Opportunity or the trend of the time in another way is the point.People are not enlightened at that time to discover the great works or the works didn't match the taste of the time.A small fact will have an impact on the sales of a book.Once a book is well selling, other books of the writer will be popular soon.Then writer will run out of success though he is nothing before.It comes to question what's the purpose of writing.Some writers devote their whole life to literature, however, the works can't support their daily life.As a result some give up because literature can't provide them with reputation and property.But probably they will be success in the future.If people write for the sake of writing, they would feel satisfied in spirit regardless of the poverty in material.On the contrary, if people write in order to seek for fame, they won't last long and will fade gradually in the rive of history.We admire the great writers not only because of their excellent writing, but also because of their pure pursuit for literature.Reading books is communicating with great thinkers in the world, absorbing their deep thought and broadening our horizon.Once i chatted with my friend about literature and we argue on the point of the purpose of writing.I believed that writing is to enlighten people and makes them more wise.While my friend insisted that writers are just expressing their feelings and complaining.They wouldn't think about the enlightenment or education.To some extent, I agree with my friend, but in object they do have enlightenment function and there're some examples like Helen Kaller.Through conversation I find that the meaning of literature is sharing ideas with great writers and people around us.Books will die as the time passes by, but the great minds will shinning forever.

第二篇：美国文学 老人与海读后感 英文版

美国文学史 论文

On Character of the Old Man in 《The Old

Man and the Sea》

Name：Wang Jianye Student ID：161310322

Abstract: He is a man who can be destroyed but cannot be defeated.But what makes he can do this,or in other word what character does he have?As far as I am concerned the most important character is that he never give up.And the most appropriate word to describe the old man I can thing out is touch.Yes,he's a tough guy.Key Words: the old man;character;touch;can not be defeated,touch guy.Body: After I read the book that is called “The old man and the sea”,I was deeply moved by the old man and his spirit.This book talked about such a story, old fisherman Santiago de Cuba consecutive 84 days did not catch the fish, was another loser as a fisherman, but he was persistent, and finally caught a big marlin large

美国文学史 论文

Marlins his boat dragged on for three days at sea, exhausted, was tied to the boat he was killed on one side, and then Return Journey repeatedly been shark attacks, he has exhausted all means to counterattack.Back to Hong Kong only the head and a fish tail spine.Although the fish have bitten gone, but whatever can not destroy the will of his bravery.Santiago was old just as Hemingway said “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated.” He think every day is a new day.No matter how old he is.He said “It’s better to be lucky.But I would rather be exact.Then when luck comes you are ready.”

Santiago was poor;he had nothing except a little boat and harpoon.But he said “Now is no time to think of what you do not have.Think of what you can do with what there is.”

Santiago was alone.Mandolin can not go to sea with him because of his parents.He catches fishes alone.He fights with sharks alone.He can talk to nobody except himself.No one will help him.But even though he faced hungry;weary and difficulty alone, he does not give up.Why the old man persists to take dentuso back.It’s so dangerous to fight with sharks.He is so brave and persevering.“But a man is not made for defeat” he said “A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”Yes,he's a tough cookie.2 美国文学史 论文

Santiago in self-confidence is absolute self-confidence, is not to environmental change and changes in self-confidence, it does not compare with others, self-confidence.In Santiago's philosophy of existence, even when confronted with a pole of the unlucky people can only self-confidence.Bones are the pillars of the spirit, Hemingway seems to Santiago did not let the success of the elderly, but to the bare bones of the elderly to play the hardness of life.Hemingway's novel won the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Pulitzer Prize.The bones in hundreds of pieces of shrapnel left the tough guy writer, the proper strength to write his life, tell us how to deal with birth, old age, sickness and death, tells us how wide the heart, such as the sea in general.The elderly are lonely, he was approached in an ideal road trip travelers, but he is not lonely, because his will is so strong.Conclusion: The old man is a touch guy.If he want to do something he will never give up.This book reveals to us a truth: people are not born to fail, and a person can be destroyed, but can not be defeated.

第三篇：美国文学 读后感 three days to see

外国语学院 英语08-1班 叶思萍 30号

After I Read “Three Days to See”

After I read “Three days to see”, I get an idol.That’s Helen Keller.I never worship any woman except my mother, but Helen beat my mother down.Who is she? Mark Twain said, there were two great persons appearing in 19th century, one was Napoleon, the other was Helen Keller.The Times reported Helen Keller as the great willpower idol of human.Those who didn’t know her must guess her as a person with forceful figure, strong arm, agile hearing and sharp eyes.Actually, those who know her must shake their heads to the guessing, because Helen Keller was just a handicapped with dull ear and blind eyes.But they all know she is much more than that.On June 27, 1800, a beautiful girl was born in Tuscumbia, a little town of northern Alabama, USA.She was Helen Keller.Unfortunately, she was deprived her sight and hearing when she was less than two years old by a terrible illness.Being imprisoned by the dark and silent world, she was unable to communicate with others normally;as a result, she became wilful and obstinate.When she was seven, Anne Mansfield Sullivan came to her sides, bringing knowledge and love to her.Besides of developing Helen’s intelligence, Miss Sullivan also taught her how to admire the beautiful things, as well as educating her to love her life, love others, and to be confident and graceful.With the company and encouragement of Miss Sullivan, Keller came over the unimaginable difficulties and got the permission to the Harvard.Then she became an excellent social activist，who had visited many countries and gave speech, collecting funds for the blind, deaf and dumb.During World WarⅡ, Helen Keller extended her regards to the soldiers who lost their sight, and encouraged those broken hearts with her own spirit.What’s more, she devoted herself to the social activities of helping the handicapped children, protecting the rights and interests of the women and1

fighting for the equality of races.In her 88-year life, she spent 87 of them in dark and silent world, but she brought endless light to the world.In 1964, she was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was the greatest honor for the American citizens.After I read Helen Keller’s “Three Days to See”, I formed a habit that walking with closed eyes while there are few people on the road.It’s a strange experience.The closed eyes sharpen each sensation.I feel the more gentle morning breeze, the clearer birds’ singing, the sweeter flowers and the warmer sunshine.Helen Keller was right, she experienced more than us seeing people.However, to be honest, while I felt so many wonderful things, I felt a little nervous and fear, for I don’t know what lies ahead of me.Everyone will feel worried about the unknown future.Every step I moved was with great care.But at the same time, actually, I couldn’t focus myself on enjoying the beauty around me.So I admired Helen Keller so much for her brave and good-at –finding-beauty heart.Helen Keller said, “If each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days, at some time during his early adult life.Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight;silence would teach him the joys of sound.” Though I was just “blind” for a few minutes, I had appreciated much more than I could at the usual time.Then how much had Helen Keller appreciated through her whole life? Helen and the people with good sight, who is blind to the life? I doubt that.Even I myself, who I think have caught every moment of beauty in life, have lost a lot if comparing with Helen Keller.I saw those beauties, but she touched them, and kept them in her heart.She felt “the delicate symmetry of a leaf”, “the smooth skin of a silver birth”, “the rough, shaggy bark of a pine”, every small scenery she had experienced, every little change in nature she had noticed.She is the real master of nature.After I read “Three Days to See”, I began to doubt whether I really know well the friends who are near to me.After Keller asked, “Can you describe

accurately the faces of five good friends?” I felt at sea.I closed my eyes and tried to form the image of one of my good friends.It was clear.But when I went into the details of her face, I felt ashamed that I couldn’t remember anything.Then I opened my eyes and looked into her face.It was the first time that I had realized there being a mole around her corner of eye.And there were two new acnes on her forehead.Her hair was longer and she wore a new skirt.That was much different from my imagination.In fact, she has been much beautiful but I didn’t realize it, neither give my appreciation to her in time.I have become so much accustomed to the routine of my surroundings, and only see the startling and spectacular.So have most of seeing people.The careless husbands don’t know the colors of their wives’ eyes, the busy parents don’t realize their children’s growing height, and the so-called motherlike teachers don’t notice the emotional change on their students’ faces.That’s embarrassed for a seeing person.I think if everyone pays one more glance at our surroundings, it will make us a much more harmonious society.After I read “Three Days to See”, I had an impulse to visit the museums, which symbolize “the pageant of man’s progress”.Once I hated to visit museums because they were all about the old past which I was not interested in.Why do people want to know about the past life when we have lived a better one? Keller didn’t think so.She was eager to see with her eyes the condensed history of the earth and its inhabitants displayed in the Museum of Natural History.As well, she longed to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which showed the myriad facets of the human spirit.I was convinced by her.No past, no present.Human’s history is a very good source for us to understand this world and ourselves.By viewing those living things pictured in the museums, at the same time wandering in the long history river, we will understand how much great our human beings were, who had created so much wonders in the world.I was attracted by Keller’s words about the

museums and the wonders human beings had made, so I decided to find out those wonders by myself.After I read “Three Days to See”, I feel much grateful that I have a pair of seeing eyes.Keller was upset that she could only imagine the fascinating figure of Hamlet, or the gusty Falstaff amid colorful Elizabethan trappings, but I can see each movement of the graceful Hamlet, each strut of the hearty Falstaff.I never think it is such a great gift that I could own my seeing eyes, but Keller said, when we gaze at a play, a movie or any spectacle, we should realize and give thanks for the miracle of sight which enables us to enjoy its color, grace and movement.Besides that, our beautiful nature, the greatly developed technology, the various faces from different countries, all those things created by nature and our human beings are miracles, but they need our eyes to find them.So from now on, open your heart and open your eyes, hold a grateful mind to find out the miracles around you.You will have a different life.I am still unaware of the dark world.But if one day I lost my sight I would know how to deal with it.Escaping from the reality, complaining about the unfair fate, or abusing the friends around me, are not the ways to overcome the tragedy.I should learn from Helen Keller and set her as my idol.Maybe my dark world was not so beautiful as hers, but I would try my best to make it meaningful.It is beyond my imagination how Keller learned language without hearing.But nothing is impossible to a willing heart.As long as we set our goal and make a determined mind, is there any difficulty we can’t overcome?

Reference:

假如给我三天光明：英汉对照/（美）凯勒（Keller, H.）著；鹏鑫译。北京：外文出版社，2009。

第四篇：美国文学教案

Lecture 1

The American Literature

I.Teaching Aim: through introduction, the students should get an idea about the history and development of American nation and how did the American literature came into being and what is the characteristic of its early literature.II.Teaching method: Teacher’s Presentation.III.Teaching Tool: multi-medium.Key points: the characteristics of literature.一、基本概况

国名

美利坚合众国（United States of America），简称美国（U.S.A.），旧称花旗国。【面积】9629091平方公里（其中陆地面积915.8960万平方公里），本土东西长4500公里，南北宽2700公里，海岸线长22680公里。

【人口】2.96亿（2005年7月）。白人占75%，拉美裔占12.5%，黑人占12.3%，亚裔占3.6%，华人约243万，占0.9%，多已入美国籍（2000年美人口普查数据）。通用英语。56%的居民信奉基督教新教，28%信奉天主教，2%信奉犹太教，信奉其他宗教的占4%，不属于任何教派的占10%。

【首都】 华盛顿哥伦比亚特区（Washington D.C.），人口约55.4万（2004年）。

【国庆日】7月4日（美国独立日，1776年）。美国文学的历史不长，它几乎是和美国自由资本主义同时出现，较少受到封建贵族文化的束缚。美国早期人口稀少，有大片未开发的土地，为个人理想的实现提供了很大的可能性。

美国人民富于民主自由精神，个人主义、个性解放的观念较为强烈，这在文学中有突出的反映。美国又是一个多民族的国家，移民不断涌入，各自带来了本民族的文化，这决定了美国文学风格的多样性和庞杂性。美国文学发展的过程就是不断吸取、融化各民族文学特点的过程。许多美国作家来自社会下层，这使得美国文学生活气息和平民色彩都比较浓厚，总的特点是开朗、豪放。内容庞杂与色彩鲜明是美国文学的另一特点。个性自由与自我克制、清教主义与实用主义、激进与反动、反叛和顺从、高雅与庸俗、高级趣味与低级趣味、深刻与肤浅、积极进取与玩世不恭、明快与晦涩、犀利的讽刺与阴郁的幽默、精心雕琢与粗制滥造、对人类命运的思考和探索等倾向，不仅可以同时并存，而且形成强烈的对照。

美国文学表现为平民化，多元化，富于阳刚之气，热爱自由，追求以个人幸福为中心的美国梦。美国文学大致出现过3次繁荣：19世纪前期形成民族文学，第一和第二次世界大战后，美国文学两度繁荣，并产生世界影响，已有近10位作家获得诺贝尔文学奖。

从来没有一种潮流或倾向能够在一个时期内一统美国文学的天下。美国作家敏感、好奇，往往是一个浪潮未落，另一浪潮又起。作家们永远处在探索和试验的过程之中。20世纪以来，许多文**流起源于美国，给世界文学同时带来积极的与消极的影响。

Lecture 2

The American Literature

IV.Teaching Aim: through introduction, the students should get an idea about the history and development of American nation and how did the American literature came into being and what is the characteristic of its early literature.V.Teaching method: Teacher’s Presentation.VI.Teaching Tool: multi-medium.Key points: the characteristics of literature.按照体裁分类:

一、自传

二、诗歌

三、戏剧

四、小说

最初的美国文学既不是美国的，也不是真正的文学。它不是美国文学是因为它主要是从英格兰来的移民的作品。它不是文学是因为正如我们知道的—不是以诗歌、散文或小说的形式出现的—而是些颇有情趣的旅行记载和宗教作品。

殖民时期文学:这一时期的文学并不发达，主要以模仿为主，没有自己的鲜明特点，但那时的政治，经济和社会发展对美国文学的形成还是有很大的影响。例如：当年来美洲大陆移民的人基本上属于两种人，一类是为逃避国内政治迫害，追求宗教自由的英国清教徒，他们来到新英格兰地区，扎根发展；另一类是谋求发财致富的欧洲平民百姓，包括野心勃勃的冒险家。不论是哪一种人都相信在新大陆都可以得到自由平等的待遇，都有机会实现自己的理想。这种观点是“美国梦”成为日后美国文学的永恒主题。清教主义有关人生来有罪及上帝主宰一切等思想也影响了美国作家不断思考人性与原罪、人与上帝的关系。由于这一时期文学不很发达，主要文学形式多为讲经布道之作，也有游记、书信等其他文学作品。

这一时期大约从1607年约翰·史密斯船长领导第一批移民在北美大陆建立第一个英国殖民地詹姆斯敦到1765年殖民地人民愤怒抗议英国政府颁布的印花税法。总的来说，殖民时期人们忙于生存，无暇吟诗作曲，清教主义反对虚构的小说戏剧，因此文学不很发达。当时的宗教领袖和殖民区领导人物如布雷福德（William Bradford，1590－1657）、温思罗普（John Winthrop，1588－1649）等人撰写的书籍多半是讲道布经等有关神学的材料或日记。此外还有一些为欧洲读者或亲人撰写的介绍新大陆的山水风貌和日常生活的小册子或游记书信，最著名的作者是为英国人在北美建立第一个永久性殖民地的工作起重要作用的约翰.史密斯船长（Captain John Smith,1580-1631）.即便是诗歌也拜托不了宗教内容。比较出色的诗人有安妮.布雷特兹里特（Anne Bradstreet,约1612－1672）和爱德华.泰勒（Edward Taylor, 约1642-1729)。前者是北美第一位女诗人，她的诗歌虽然宗教气息较浓，但她描写夫妻恩爱，家庭美满等日常生活题材的诗歌感情真挚，富有感染力。泰勒是位牧师，虔诚的情教徒，诗歌创作也是为上帝服务，有些跟他的讲道有密切关系。他的作品在生前并未发表，直到20世纪30年代才被发现并整理出版。两位诗人的一个共同特点是都受英国玄学派诗人的影响，诗歌有较大的模仿性。

二、启蒙时期与独立革命（1765－18世纪末）这是北美人民争取独立、建立美利坚合众国的时期。17世纪末18世纪初，由于经济的发展，殖民者的注意力开始转向世俗生活，在欧洲启蒙主义和自然神论等哲学思潮的影响下，上帝的作用大大削弱，清教主义的统治逐渐衰落。18世纪美国启蒙运动的代表人物富兰克林（Benjamin Frankin,1706－1790）。富兰克林是个人文主义者，相信人性善良、主张人权天赋、政治平等，认为行善是忠于上帝的最好表示。他出身贫苦，但意志坚定，顽强奋斗，从商、参政，写文章、研究科学，终于成为文学家、科学家和在美国立国过程中起重大作用的政治家。他的《格言历书》（Poor Richard's Almanac）通过大量的格言警句宣传创业持家、待人处世的道德原则和勤奋致富的生活道路。他在独立革命期间撰写的《自传》（Autobiography）以亲身经历再次说明，美国有的是机会，只要勤奋便能成功。富兰克林的成功经验对美国人的人生观、事业观和道德观产生过深远的影响。他的《自传》还开创了美国名人写传记的风气，建立了传记文学的传统。

从1765年英国殖民者第一次反对英国政府的印花税到1789年美国联邦政府成立的20多年里，北美大陆的政治形势发展很快，1775年独立战争爆发，1776年宣布独立，1783年对英战争胜利，1789年新宪法生效，华盛顿当选第一任总统。独立革命时期文学的主要形式跟殖民时期一样以理性的敬文为主。主要是各派政治力量对于革命的必要性、革命的前途与方向、政府的形式与性质等重大问题展开激烈争论时所产生的大批论点鲜明、充满战斗力和说服力的杂文、政论文和演讲辞，如潘恩（Thomas Paine，1737－1809）的《常识》（Common Sense）、杰弗逊（Thomas Jefferson,1743－1826）的《独立宣言》（The Declaration of Independence）

三、浪漫主义时期（1800－1865）19世纪初，美国完全摆脱了对英国的依赖，以独立国家的身份进入世界政治舞台。民族文学开始全面繁荣，逐渐打破英国文学在美国的垄断局面。这时期作家们跟英国浪漫主义作家一样，强调文学的想象力和感情色彩，反对古典主义的形式与观点，歌颂大自然，崇尚个人和普通人的思想感情，并且寻根问祖发幽古之思情。但他们虽然模仿美国作家，素材却完全取自美国现实，如西部开发与拓荒经历。他们赞美美国山水，讴歌美国生活，反映美国人民的乐观与热情。

早期浪漫主义的主要代表作家是欧文（Washington Irving，1783－1859）、库柏（James Fenimore Cooper，1789－1851）和布赖恩特（William Cullen Bryant，1794－1878）。欧文以短篇小说见长，他的《见闻札记》（The Sketch Book）开创了美国短篇小说的传统，使他成为第一个享有国际声誉的美国作家。库柏主要写长篇小说，而且有三种不同类型的小说：历史小说、细节准确详尽的冒险小说和对后来西部文学影响甚大的边疆小说--《皮袜子故事集》（The Leather Stocking Tales）五部曲。布赖恩特是美国第一个浪漫主义诗人，也是第一个受到英国诗坛赞赏的美国诗人。《致水鸟》（To a Waterfowl）

19世纪的浪漫主义运动的中心在新英格兰地区，主要表现形式为超验主义（Transcendentalism）。超验主义理论崇尚直觉，反对理性和权威，强调人有能力凭直觉直接认识真理，人能超越感觉获得知识，因此，人的存在就是神的存在的一部分，人在一定范围内就是上帝，自然界是神对人的启示，人可以从自然界认识真理，了解物质发展规律，得到精神道德原则方面的启示。超验主义理论的奠基人是爱默生（Ralph Waldo Emerson，1803－1882）。爱默生的《论自然》（Nature）、《论自立》(Self-Reliance）等著作对打破神学统治，摒弃以神为中心的清教教义，强调人在宇宙万物中的地位，确立民主思想和发展民族文化起了极大的作用。《论自然》曾被称为超验主义理论的“圣经”。

棱罗（Henry David Thoreau,1817－1862）是爱默生的朋友和门徒。他接受爱默生关于认识自我和研究自然的思想，并且身体力行，独自在家乡森林沃尔登湖畔生活了两年，把超验主义的原则和自己的哲理信念付诸实践。《沃尔登湖》（Walden）详细描写他在湖畔的生活，宣传自然的美好，批判资本主义文明的消极影响，呼吁人们返朴归真，到自然中去寻找生活的意义和丰富的精神世界。梭罗富有正义感，反对美国对墨西哥的战争，谴责蓄奴制。他的《论公民的不服从》（Civil Disobedience）主张用和平斗争的方式反对战争和奴隶制，对印度的甘地、60年代的美国黑人领袖马丁·路德·金等人起过积极的影响。

在诗歌方面，新英格兰地区比较出名的诗人有朗费罗（Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,1807-1882），霍姆斯（Oliver Wendell Holmes,1809-1894）和洛威尔（James Russell Lowell, 1810-1891）等。他们大都出身世家，有地位有名望，文化修养比较高，但又都比较守旧，缺乏创新精神，对社会问题虽有批评却比较温和。因此他们常被称为波士顿的婆罗门（Brahmins）。19世纪美国最伟大的浪漫主义诗人是惠特曼（Walt Whitman，1819－1892），1855年出版的《草叶集》（Leaves of Grass）标志着美国文学进入了一个崭新的时代。另一位革新诗歌的诗人是狄金森（Emily Dickinson，1830-1886）。1955年出版的《艾米莉·狄金森诗集》》确立了狄金森在美国文学史上的重要地位。

浪漫主义时期两位重要的小说家是霍桑和梅尔维尔。霍桑（Nathaniel Hawthorne，1804－ 1864）不赞成超验主义，尤其是“人即是神”的说法。《红字》（The Scarlet Letter）描写罪恶对人的精神面貌作用；《带有七个尖角阁的房子》》（The House of the Seven Gables）表现祖上的罪孽对后代的报应。梅尔维尔（Herman Melville, 1819-1891）深受霍桑的影响，关心人类命运，相认邪恶的普遍性，怀疑超验主义的乐观主义理论，对社会进步持悲观态度。他们两人给美国文学带来了戏剧色彩。但是梅尔维尔不像霍桑那样安于命运、按受现实。他进行更为深刻的钻研，探讨上帝的本质、人类的天性和邪恶战胜一切的原因。代表作《白鲸》（Moby Dick）对此作了深刻的反映。

四、现实主义时期（186－1918）南北战争（1861-1865）以后到第一次世界人战爆发，美国完成了从农业社会到工业社会的转化，社会面貌和经济生活开始发生急剧的变化。

现实主义文学时期三位最重要的作家是豪威尔斯（William Dean Howells，1837-1920）马克吐温（Mark Twain，1835－1910）和詹姆斯（Henry James 1843－1916）。

五、现代主义时期（1918－1945）自20世纪开始，美国文学进入新的时代。第一次世界大战对美国人的思想和精神面貌产生极大的影响。人们对自由民主的信念开始动摇，普遍感到迷惘，甚至绝望。

现代主义文学是从诗歌开始的。当时的诗人大致可分为三类：

（l）芝加哥诗人。他们无论在诗歌形式上还是题材上都坚持惠特曼的传统，反映劳动人民的思想感情。（2）以庞德（Ezra Pound，1885-1972）和当时在伦敦居住尚未加入英国籍的艾略特（T．S．Eliot，1888－1965）为首的身居海外的诗人。（3）新英格兰诗人弗洛斯特(Robert Frost，1874－1963)和罗宾逊（Edward Arlington Robinson，1869－1935）属于第三类诗人，介乎上述两派之间，受到新诗歌运动的感染，但并不全盘接受它的原则和主张。

很多在20年代发表作品的年轻作家往往被称为“迷惘的一代”（the lost generation）。他们曾怀着自由民主的幻想参加过第一次世界大战。然而，残酷的战争、无谓的牺牲使他们的理想幻灭了。

菲茨杰拉德（F Scott Fitzgerald,1896－1940）虽然没有去过前线，却是典型的“迷惘的一代的作家。第一部长篇小说《人间天堂》和100多篇短篇小说真实地反映爵士时代人们醉生梦死的空虚的精神面貌，生动地再现了20年代美国青年认为”一切上帝都死亡了，一切战争都打完了和一切对人的信念都动摇了“的绝望心理。《了不起的盖茨比》》和《夜色温柔》（Tender is the Night）从内容到技巧都更为成熟，进一步揭露”美国梦“和”美国精神“的迷惑性和空虚。菲茨杰拉德是继德莱塞以后又一个抨击腐蚀人们灵魂的美国梦的作家。

海明威（Ernest Hemingway，1899－1961）是”迷惆的一代“作家的主要人物。《太阳照样升起》》（The Sun Also Rises）反映大战后在欧洲彷徨游荡的美国青年绝望和幻灭的情绪。《永别了，武器》（A Farewell to Arms）表现战争如何粉碎人们的理想和生活目的。《丧钟为谁而鸣》（For Whom the Bell Tolls）描写西班牙的内战。海明威小说的主人公常常是位心灵受过创伤、敏感而玩世不恭的年轻人，但他作品里往往又有一位勇敢正直的英雄。海明威笔下的英雄可能是不见经传的猎人、士兵、斗中土、拳击家，但他们都具有”硬汉“性格，曲折不挠，视死如归。他们给海明威的主人公以启示，教育他们在困难前面不低头、在压力下面不弯腰的处世原则。《老人与海》（The Old Man and the Sea）中的老渔民集中体现了海明威大力推崇的在失败中保持尊严从而取得精神胜利的生活原则。海明威不仅为美国文学创造了”硬汉"形象；他那含蓄简练，清新有力的文体对美国文学也产生了极大的影响。

第五篇：美国文学名词解释

1.Naturalism:American naturalism was a new and harsher realism.America’s literary naturalists dismissed the validity of comforting moral truths.They attempted to achieve extreme objectivity and frankness, presenting characters of low social and economic classes who were determined by their environment and heredity.Puritanism:Puritanism is the practices and beliefs of the Puritans.They accepted the doctrine of predestination, original sin and total depravity, and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace form God.3.Realism: Realism emphasizes on a faithful rendering of the ordinary, a slice of life as it is really lived.It expresses the concern for commonplace and the low, and it offers an objective rather than an idealistic view of human nature and human experience.4.Romanticism: romantics frequently shared certain general characteristics: moral enthusiasm, faith in value of individualism and intuitive perception, and a presumption that the natural world was a source of goodness and man’s societies a source of corruption.Transcendentalism:They spoke for cultural rejuvenation and stressed the importance of the individual.They offered a fresh perception of nature as symbolic of the Spirit or God.Nature was, to them, alive, filled with God’s overwhelming presence.6.Imagism意象主义: It’s a poetic movement of England and the U.S.flourished from 1909 to 1917.The movement insists on the creation of images in poetry by “the direct treatment of the thing” and the economy of wording.7.Local Colorism: fiction or poetry that focuses on specific features – including characters, dialects, customs, history, and landscape – of a particular region.8.Lost Generation: It describes the Americans who remained in Paris as a colony of “expatriates” or exiles.It describes the writers like Hemingway who lived in semi poverty.It describes the Americans who returned to their native land with an intense awareness of living in an unfamiliar changing world.9.Beat Generation: It was a group of American post-World War IIwho came to prominence in the 1950s.They rejected conventional social and moral values;expressed their alienation in their works from conventional “square” society by adopting a life style which featured sex, drugs, jazz and the freedom of the open road.10.Symbolism: Symbolism is the writing technique of using symbols.It enables poets to compress a very complex idea or set of ideas into one image or even one word.It’s one of the most powerful devices that poets employ in creation.11.Modernism：is loosely a synonym of anything contemporary.Strictly, Modernism began in the late 19th century and regarded the theory of psycho-analysis as its theoretical base.They pay more attention to the psychic time than the chronological one.12.A Jazz age(爵士时代):The Jazz Age describes the period of the 1920s and 1930s.With the rise of the great depression, the values of this age saw much decline.Highlighting what some describe as the decadence and hedonism, as well as the growth of individualism.