Assigment #10

The literature is very important both in personal and professional aspects. Studying literature can be an enriching and revealing experience. The literature itself has a special beauty, which is enriched in large part by the language and the resources which are used to trigger those feelings in the viewer you goose bumps. Besides, literature is a form of expression that is a fundamental part all human beings, so it becomes part of our culture, this being an essential element in the development of the whole person and of course a professional. Moreover, the module of literature is important because enhance the language and the vocabulary; vocabulary not only in professional aspects, but also in personal aspects, as I told before. With these tools it is possible to express a rich way in the aspect of using the words without being repetitive or limited, this because lexicon is increasing in a significant way. 

Thanks to this module literature I feel more prepared to face the globalized world and often requires knowledge beyond banal things; this also gives me an overview addressing many aspects, for example, historical context of many important events in history that have some influence about what might happen today. Now I am able to concern of many things, including how the world was before, how people live in other parts of the world through literature 

The literature is very important because it helps to any person to escape the real world and at the same time reflect about his/her experiences, situations and ways of thinking. 

I think that even though I was not present 100% of the classes, I always tried to be a participant student, and I tried to share my ideas and opinions with my classmates and teacher, in order to learn in a better way. I realized that this module requires much more dedication, so the autonomous work required too much. Taking into account the above, I made ​​me a bit complicated spend all the time that it required because I often preferred to work on other things like thesis, rather than literature.

Despite the fact that I did not dedicated the appropriate time to work on literature, I have been improving my four skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking. Through the module I have had to read many books, texts and different documents related to American literature, to present different topics in front of my peers, to receive input from the teacher and my classmates, and I have had to write essays about various topics related to literature and its different periods.

I believe that it was a useful module for me as a pre-service teacher. Although, I think this might be more fruitful and this could have a better development if the module was taught in the fourth year of the program because in this semester we do not have enough time to devote to literature, and despite the importance it has, it is difficult to acquire knowledge in these conditions.

In my opinion, the teacher’s performance was appropriate to this module, and it was according to module requests. He was always alert to the students’s concerns, so from my point of view he was always looking to satisfy their professional needs. 

Finally, I believe that the methodologies which were incorporated to this module were the correct. The main problem, in my opinion, were the tasks and assignment given by the teacher to us, because as I said before we did not have enough time and sometimes I prefer to develop the assignment but I did not receive an appropriate feedback so it was difficult for me to know if I was in a correct way or if I was wrong. Probably a feedback could encourage our learning and it could generate a better students’ performance in next classes.

Assigment #9

American dream can be defined as equality of opportunity and freedom that allows all U.S. residents achieve their goals in life only with effort and determination. This idea first expressed in 1931 by the American historian James Truslow Also, it refers to that prosperity which depends on one's skills and work, not a destination dictated by rigid social hierarchy, although the meaning of the phrase has changed over the history of the United States. For some it is an opportunity to achieve more wealth than they could have in their home countries, for others it is the opportunity for their children to grow up with a good education and great opportunities, and finally, there are those who see it as the opportunity to be an individual without restrictions based on race, class, religion, etc.

On the other hand, The Frontier is the argument presented by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 that American democracy was created by the American frontier. It emphasized the results; particularly American democracy was the most important outcome, along with egalitarianism, lack of interest in high culture and violence. Besides, it was emphasized the preparation and the process of moving boundary the impact it had on pioneers going through the development. Turner created an evolutionary model who had been studied the evolution with a leading geologist Thomas Chamberlin Chrowder, the use of the time dimension of American history, and the geographical space of the land that became the United States.

Furthermore, multiculturalism is the first expression of cultural pluralism, which promotes non-discrimination on grounds of race or culture, celebration and recognition of cultural difference and the right to it. Multiculturalism is located within antisimilacionista philosophy of cultural pluralism is both a factual situation as a social organization proposal. Within the pluralist paradigm, the multiculturalism emerged as a model of public policy and as a philosophy and social thought to react to cultural uniformity in times of globalization. It is designed as an opposition to the tendency in modern societies towards unification and universal culture that celebrates and seeks to protect cultural diversity, while focusing on the frequent unequal relations of minorities compared to the majority cultures, 

Finally, it is important to mention that The salad bowl theory is based on people with different culture identities being incorporated in the same society. They can live together without any conflicts even though they have different aspects. For example, lettuce, tomatoes and onions can share the same bowl, and taste good together although they are not the same vegetables. What I mean is that Chinese, afro American, white people, etc. can live together and it is good with variations. So therefore, people with different cultures can in fact communicate, exchange, share and co-operate.

Assignment #8 (Quiz)

During many years The United States’ government has been seeking to generate a development for its society. The objective has been to improve the living conditions of its citizens through a capital increase and a supposed improvement in the legislation. In this work will be possible to know two of the many laws that have been implemented in this country.

The history of the Chinese community in the U.S. is very extensive and there are a multitude of documents that speak of it, which have relevant background for understanding many of the historical passages. One of the many documents is The Chinese Exclusion Act was a federal law of the United States signed by President Chester A. Arthur on May 6, 1882. It was one of the most important limitations of free immigration in U.S. history, prohibiting all Chinese labor immigration. The act followed revisions made in 1880 to the United States and China Burlingame Treaty of 1868, which allowed the U.S. reviews to suspend Chinese immigration. The act was originally scheduled for duration of 10 years, but it was renovated in 1892 and it was made permanent in 1902. It was finally repealed by the Magnuson Act December 17, 1943.

According to Galante (2203) the history of immigration to the United States and the contribution of immigrants and successive generations of American-born ethnic groups are important and essential factors in the history of the United States and the study of American social, economic, political, and cultural life. Between 1870 and 1900, for example, nearly 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States for a range of economic, political, and social reasons. Besides, a large number of Chinese immigrants arrived in the U.S., mostly on the West coast. By 1870, the Chinese were 8.6 % of the total population of California and constituted 25% of the labor force. Chinese immigrants arrived on U.S. coasts between the start of the California gold rush in 1849 and 1882, until the U.S. Congress enacted federal law in 1882 designed to prevent Chinese immigrants from entering or remaining in the U.S. Moreover, Galante (2003) exposed that

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first significant law that restricted immigration into the United States of an ethnic working group. It also was the first in a series of legislative, executive, and judicial acts by the U.S. Government in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries setting official immigration policies that many historians, scholars, and average citizens consider as racist. 

In addition, the Chinese Americans immigrants wrote a lot of Chinese American literature on nineteenth century, but those were written in Chinese. These Chinese-language writings have only recently been made available to be studied. These Chinese American authors wrote autobiographies as well as novels and poems, not only in Cantonese but also in Chinese and English. Some of these writers were Lin Yutang, novelist Yu Lihua, and Yung Wing, the first Chinese student to graduate from an American University, Yale.

On the other hand, The Sherman Antitrust Act was published on July 2, 1890; it was the first U.S. federal government measure to limit monopolies. The Act outlawed trusts, considering them restrictive for international trade. It was founded by U.S. Senator John Sherman of Ohio and approved by President Benjamin Harrison. 

The original text presented by Becker (2004) on his St. Olaf College’s page said in its first Section about Trusts, etc., in restraint of trade illegal; penalty: "Every contract or combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several states or with foreign nations, is declared illegal". 

Finally, The Sherman Act is a law that was penalized with the intention of curbing the monopoly of the steel and other industries characteristic of the era of industrial revolution. The standard does not penalize the figure of monopoly itself (ie, the exclusive control of a particular market), but rather that a business maintains and expands this situation at the expense of its competitors. It means, what is punished is the abuse of monopoly power. In short, what is sought is to protect competition to consumers’ benefits: more companies offer more products at lower prices, it is the reasoning. Title 15 of the United States Code outlines the role of the commerce and trade in the United States Code. Among the most notable laws is The Sherman Antitrust Act which can be found in: 15 U.S.C. ch. 1—Monopolies and Combinations in Restraint of Trade.

References

Galante (2003).The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): Brief Overview. Lehigh University Retrieved on 20th June, 2013 from http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineng/VirtualAmericana/chineseimmigrationact.html
Becker, A. (2004) The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890). St. Olaf College. Retrieved on 20th June, 2013 from http://www.stolaf.edu/people/becker/antitrust/statutes/sherman.html#top

Assignment #6

Romanticism is a cultural and literary movement that took place in the first half of the nineteenth century, both in Europe and in America. This movement represents a total reaction; it was imposed by Neoclassicism reason, giving priority to feelings, emotions, fantasy and the ideal life. However, Realism emerged in Europe from 1850, when it was observed a progressive division between life and romantic mentality. It was generated a connection between reality and practicality of the bourgeoisie which conditioned the environment that will be seen with conformity or disagreement by the writers. Two important artistic movements were confronted and some of their literary features were exposed in a radical way, Romanticism and Realism in a drastic battle.

Firstly, the romantic mind is characterized by the desire for freedom, manifested in romantic man's struggle against absolutism rejecting the rules hitherto in force and desire to express freely. Secondly, it was observed an individualist romantic man who was showing a strong personality, for this reason he felt the center of the universe; Idealism is the engine of romantic man who seeks to fulfill unattainable desires which relate to the motherland, love or justice; and disappointment, caused by not being able to achieve those ideals into reality, causes evasion, and even suicide. Nonetheless, for realistic ideology, Liberalism prevailed as a political concept initiated by the Romantics, but it was possible to distinguish two aspects: moderate liberalism which was typical of the bourgeoisie; and progressive liberalism which was typical of most dynamic and restless sectors. Also, among the proletariat, which is emerging in parallel with industrialization, it was introduced revolutionary doctrines such as socialism, communism and anarchism.

In the field of literature, poetry is the genre that best suits romantic ideals. The first manifestations of romantic poetry are narrative, so collect legends, historical events and stories imagined by the author. The romantic drama is also very important because it pretended to touch the audiences with melodramatic stories about mystery. Besides, the protagonist appeared who is outside the law or does not accept the rules of society: the beggar, the pirate, the executioner, the Cossack, the defendant, etc. It began to use poetry with metrical forms, verse and prose, and there is a break in theater rules in the three units (time, place and action), the appreciation for the nightlife, scary, the emergence of a violent nature unleashed, related to the exalted romantic feeling.

Nevertheless, the novel was the literary genre cultivated by realist authors. It allowed them to speak accurately about complete parts of the life of their characters as well as recreate the spaces for which these were developing. In addition, it was developing a rigorous observation and reproduction of reality, a theme centered on daily life. It is often possible to read a critic with social or moral intention on the problems that reality presents. It began to see the objectivity as an ideal of the novelist, but sometimes it goes through judgments and personal observations. Moreover, it uses a sober prose, sometimes carefully, sometimes familiar. The dialogues are adapted to the characteristics of the character, and the use of indirect free style (a mixture of direct and indirect speech), this in order to reproduce the thoughts or feelings of the characters within the discourse of the narrator, so the reader is introduced into the heart of the characters.

As a conclusion, according to what was said by Carter (1954) cited by Campbell the basic axiom of the realistic view of morality was that there could be no moralizing in the novel. The morality of the realists was built upon what appears a paradox morality with an abhorrence of moralizing. Their ethical beliefs called, first of all, for a negative response of scheme of moral behavior imposed, from without, upon the characters of fiction and their actions. Nevertheless, Romanticism increased the achievements of what it perceived as heroic individualists and artists, whose pioneering examples would make higher society.






References:

CAMPBELL, D. (2013) "Realism in American Literature, 1860-1890." Literary Movements. Dept. of English, Washington State University. Retrieved May 25, 2013 from http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm

Wikipedia Foundation, Inc (2013). Realism (arts). Retrieved May 26, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_(arts)#cite_note-15

Wikipedia Foundation, Inc (2013). Romanticism. Retrieved May 26, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanticism

Assignment #5

 

America has always been a nation of immigrants. The displacement of people from their place of origin to other places, areas or countries, immigration has existed as long as humans. These displacements or changes occur for many different reasons: foraging, settlement of new lands, forced relocation of slaves, exodus of ethnic or religious minorities harassed by violence, horror of wars, political causes and so on.

Many groups and individuals have migrated involuntarily. From the fifteenth century to the first half of the nineteenth century, millions of Africans, often captured by other African peoples, were arrested, taken from their land and sold into slavery in distant countries. First were sent to Portugal and then to other European countries, it reaching east to as far away as India and west to the United States, South America.

The development of the Industrial Revolution gave origin to the greater migration process at the whole story but it is taking new forms: the rural exodus (The Great European Migration between 1800 and 1950) which involved thousands of millions of farmers around the world. It originated an uncontrolled and excessive growth of large cities. Besides, it is estimated that international migration will increase throughout the nineteenth century and these are one of the most reliable indicators of globalization of the world system. Additionally, the 49% of international migrants in 2005 were women, being also more numerous than men in developed countries.

Migratory movements generated a series of demographic, economic and sociological consequences, both in places of origin and destination. In places (countries, regions, cities) of origin, the most visible benefits are the financial contribution received by the families of migrants, the decline in unemployment by reducing the working age population (which is what usually migrate) and reducing social tensions. The negative consequences can be, among others, lack of balance which are produced in the demographic structure by reducing young people, both male and female (depending on country), and increased aging rate, the interest to invest in technology, education , health and basic infrastructure, and the rupture of the family in case of individual migrations.

On the other hand, in the places of destination, some of the most important positive consequences were: increasing young population and birth control, the contribution of manpower in order to sustain economic development, the social security income, and cultural enrichment. Negative effects include the social integration, conflicts, social tensions caused by xenophobic and racist attitudes; and the increased of illegal immigration.

During the nineteenth century until the Depression of the thirties of the twentieth century it was migrated more than 60 million Europeans. In a first immigrant’s wave, they departed for the United States and Canada European countries in central and northern Europe: UK, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and Norway. In the last third of the nineteenth century Europeans were united (the southern and eastern Europe, particularly Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland and the Russian Empire). They expanded the immigration space also covering central and South America: mainly Argentina and Brazil.

The beginnings of industrialization in North America, a continent practically uninhabited, offered multiple investment opportunities and working to the people of central and northern Europe, primarily affected by the processes of industrialization. When at the end of the century South America was integrated into the international trading system, specializing in the export of agricultural products, the job offer was extended and brought to the people of southern Europe, which at that time began the process of modernization economic.

Assignment #4 (quiz)

ROMANTICISM PERIOD

Romantics was a philosophical and artistic movement with profound social implications that developed primarily in European and American literatures according to their linguistic, cultural and historical variables. The beginning and ending dates for this literary period are flexible. Moreover, the Romantic period covers the period between Jacksonian democracy to the end of the Civil War. Romanticism emerged in Western Europe in the late eighteenth century at variance with the hegemony of instrumental reason of the Enlightenment and is depleted by 1850 challenged by the new aesthetic of realism. This was a period of significant westward expansion, as well as one of significant political turmoil, particularly as the conflict over slavery came to a boil. The founder of literary Romanticism was the German philosopher Friedrich Schlegel (1772-1829), who proposed the infinity of personal feeling, nontransferable and often incommunicable, as the space where poetry is forged: evolutionary phenomenon, always unfinished, as opposed to the model neoclassical. This was raised in the inaugural text of Romanticism in 1798, published in the journal Athenaeum. Besides Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered to be a founding writer and philosopher within the American Romantic Movement, Emerson is possibly best known for his essays, from which emerge the grounding notions of Transcendentalism. 

This period was the first major explosion of a distinctly American body of literature; for this reason, this period is also referred to as the American Renaissance. Schlegel F. (1799-1800) in his work called Dialogue on Poetry and Literary Aphorisms, proposed “through artists mankind becomes an individual, in that they unite the past and the future in the present. They are the higher organ of the soul, where the life spirits of entire external mankind meet and in which inner mankind first acts”. From another point of view, it is a cultural revolution, the expression of the sensitivity of a new society in the growing conflict between the rising bourgeoisie and the emergence of new subjects and classes, as the proletariat. Utopian socialism is romantic connection. Sometimes, it is also an alarm reaction against modern scientism and industrialism as seen in the novel Frankenstein (1818) by English writer Mary Shelley. 

Romanticism is irrelevant to the forms, dynamic and historicism, but also providential and traditionalist. For all this, without losing sight of the universal, defends local and national differences, highlighting the genius individually or in the specific provisions of peoples. The literary forms were grown by the Romantic poetry, drama, without respecting the classical unities-the historical novel, diary, memories, confessions and travel writing. Even though many writers attacked romanticism Schlegel (1797) proposed in one of his works that poetry can be criticized only through poetry. A critique which itself is not a work of art, either in content as representation of the necessary impression in the process of creation, or through its attractive form and in its liberal tone in the spirit of the old Roman satire, has no right of citizenship in the realm of art. 

Readership augmented significantly and the 1850s saw a number of immensely popular novels. An example of the writers who increase their number of readers was Edgar Allan Poe, who developed fiercely original work, refining the short story genre, establishing detective fiction, and prefiguring the genres of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Poe’s work often explores questions of human being psychology, but can certainly be read to gesture to a sort of cultural psyche, a particular American unconscious. Romanticism emphasizes the whole thing that was not seen before such as feelings and emotions, so now the heart governs over the head; natural places began to be a point of inspiration for both poems and paintings, the supernatural began to have their space and mode of expression. No other period in English literature displays more diversity in style, theme, and content than the Romantic

Finally, the disagreement with the world is at the core of Romanticism. The romantic is an eternal discontent channel. Also, as the Romantics did not accept a world ordered according to the laws of reason and science, refused to accept his moral standards. The heroes of romantic literature are rebellious men who aspire to absolute moral freedom. The literature extols the bandits, pirates, prisoners, beggars, prostitutes, living on the margins of society and its laws. For this reasons I do not feel identified with this literary movement

REFERENCES

MyLiteratureLab Pearson (1995-2010) Romantic Period. Retrived May 28, 2013 from http://wps.pearsoncustom.com/pcp_mylitlab_1_master/37/9657/2472208. cw/index.html

SCHLEGEL F. (1968) Dialogue on Poetry and Literary Aphorisms. Pennsylvania University Press. (p. 64)

ASSIGNMENT #3

Romantic Period was an artistic and literary movement which was originated in Europe in the late eighteenth century. The Romantic Period in English literature is taken to begin with the publication of Wordsworth and Coleridge`s Lyrical Ballads and end with the novelist Sir Walter Scott's death. Even though the works of J.J. Rousseau and W. Godwin had great influence, the French Revolution and its consequences had the strongest impact of all. This started as a revolt against social and political norms of the time, so it was associated with liberalism and radicalism. Also it had a great impact in different areas such as music (one of the earliest important applications of the term to music occurs in 1789, in the Mémoires of André Grétry), visual arts (used to refer loosely to a trend that appears at any time) and literature (this movement was started by the publication in 1798 of Lyrical Ballads, with many of the finest poems by Wordsworth and Coleridge).

On the other hand, it is necessary to understand the meaning of romanticism and from which comes the word. It is possible to rely on the statement given by Cuddon J. (1991) who says “A roman or romant came to be known as an imaginative work and a 'courtly romance'. The terms also signified a 'popular book'”; while Whitney (2000) added:

The word romantic (ism) has a complex and interesting history. In the Middle Ages 'romance' denoted the new vernacular languages derived from Latin - in contradistinction to Latin itself, which was the language of  learning. Enromancier, romancar, romanz meant to compose or translate books in the vernacular. The work produced was then called romanz, roman, romanzo and romance.

Romanticism emphasizes everything that was not seen before such as feelings and emotions, so now the heart governs over the mind; natural places began to be a point of inspiration for both poems and paintings, the supernatural began to have their space and mode of expression. No other period in English literature displays more diversity in style, theme, and content than the Romantic Movement. The German poet Friedrich Schlegel, who is given credit for first using the term romantic to describe literature, defined it as "literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form."

Nevertheless, the Romantic period’s aims are related with art, not beauty but the expression and feelings which can open wider horizons. It has, in fact, been defined in so many different ways. In addition, the right to individual and collective freedom is developed; this is subjective, expressing deepest feelings. Besides, the romanticism seeks to break the classic rules. Just the novel is based on objectivity, and it seeks to reproduce life accurately, so it is immersed in the environment and society.  Romantic works are characterized by a mix of genres, the combination of verse and prose, and the use of different metrical structures in the same poem. Literary genres in the romanticism are: poetry, fiction, prose and drama.

Therefore, poetry is a literary genre considered as a manifestation of beauty or artistic feeling through words using verse or prose (prose is opposed to verse because it has no metrical rhythm, or repetition, and rhyme). Often, term poetry is used as synonymous with lyrical, although from a historical point of view it is a subgenre of poetry.  Moreover, It is called fiction to reality simulation that perform literary and cinematographic works while the drama is a word that comes from Greek and means to act; it is divided into realistic and unrealistic genres without forgetting that it is also called drama to the work that includes certain elements, especially when you have a terrible, tragic and catastrophic end.

Finally, it is possible to mention some examples of romantic English poets are William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats; and some American poets are Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe, Henry David Thoreau, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman. Besides, there are Romantic essayists such as Charles Lamb, William Hazlitt, and Thomas De Quincey.

References:

Whitney E. (2000). What is Romanticism? Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www.uh.edu/engines/romanticism/introduction.html.  University of Houston

CUDDON J. (1991) The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. Third Edition. London: Penguin Books

Wikipedia Foundation, Inc (2013). Romanticism. Retrieved May 19, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanticism

ASSIGNMENT #2

Colonial literature was developed in America in the colonial times, that is, in the post-Conquest, between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. In general, writers took the literary patterns existing in Europe at the time, and most of them were adapted to the local vocabulary because the dominance of the English language was hardly predictable. 

The writings of the colonial period are very important because they are the first step in literature of that period. It would not be fair to talk about bad writing by the quality or items containing in the books, because men probably had more important work to do before making or writing books. It must be taken into account, when the English people came to America were faced with extreme and a little exciting conditions for them. In fact, they were faced with unknowns things like flora, fauna, Indians, and in general to a new world that opened the doors to its culture. Probably, it was this kind of thing which stimulated their intellectual power and motivated them to write and tell to the world about their experiences.

Furthermore, America began its history around 1607 when a group of English sailors travelled to an unknown land and landing in a city which is now known as Virginia, at that time called Jamestown. At first, these trips were inspired by Spanish settlers who had found gold in South America, so the Englishmen thought that with this trip they would have the opportunity to get rich. 

However, they had a big disappointment because gold was not found there and they just came to a hostile environment that discouraged them but John Smith was who changed that idea and so everyone could be saved from devastating famine. Then, around 1619 the Africans, who were mostly slaves, travelled in inadequate and extreme conditions, but in order to look for a better quality of life they decided to accept those trips and they came to America. 

Besides, in 1620 a ship called Mayflower transported 102 English Pilgrims from England to America. They decided to renounce to the Church of England and they came with a different point of view, they kept in mind an special mission, they were called Puritans; this group of men and women were headed by William Bradford. In addition, in the ship mentioned before, it was signed an agreement on November 11, it was called The Mayflower Compact. It was a social agreement in which the settlers at New Plymouth followed the rules stipulated there and it regulated everything for the sake of survival. 

On the other hand, since the establishment of Jamestown American culture has been heavily influenced by English culture. A good example is the literature. In 1700 the output of English literature took an important role, which was developed gradually. The early writings were mostly religious texts, and even produced some of Puritan literature. 

Finally, it is important to mention that "The state of American literature in 1700, consisting of only about 250 published works, reflects the pressing religious, security, and cultural concerns of colonial life. Printing presses operated in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Annapolis, and colonists could also acquire works published in England". (Ramirez, B.). The first American author was Captain John Smith with his works: A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Noate as Hath Happened in Virginia (1608) and The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (1624). Some examples of works in colonial period are: John Winthrop made the first entry in his Journal on board the ship Arbella (on March 29, 1630), Bay Psalm Book (1640), Journal called "History of Plymouth Plantation" (1620-47), Wonder-Working Providence (1654),), Day of Doom (1662), Magnalia Christi Americana (1702), History of the Dividing Line run in the Year (1728), etc. 

References:

Canada, M. (2001). Colonial America: 1607 – 1783. Retrieved April 11, 2013 from http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/16071783/index.htm 

·   W.W Norton & Company (2007) Overview: Beginning to 1700. Retrieved April 12, 2013 from http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/naal7/contents/A/welcome.asp#1

   Ramirez, B. (unknown). American Literature: Beginning to 1700. Article to Cultura Estadounidense a través de la literatura. Católica del Maule University: Chile.

·   Wikipedia Foundation, Inc (2013). American Literature. Retrieved April 13, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_literature

ASSIGNMENT #1

Literature like any of the arts is a personal reflection of a society. It helps to understand or know social ideas, emotional status, or just the point of view of the people. In my opinion, it is an internal voice produced by the thought processes around it. Also, I believe that there different kind of writers who are able to capture or create stories and they reach deeply into the human spirit in order to develop wonderful books.


In this course I would like to know more about American culture and literature. It is difficult to capture all the ideas, but I will make the effort to learn, know and internalize everything that happened in this important moment in history. When I read the syllabus I could realize how important elements make up this part of the story and how each of them takes a key role as the course progresses.


Honestly, last year when I heard about literature, it was not very nice but over time I began to realize that when you know the literature from the deepest this is a beautiful thing to learn.


Since I have 6 years I have read different kinds of books, novels, cartoons, fables, stories, etc. As time passed, I understood the real meaning to read and how much the books could teach and guide me in my growth process. At school, I had to read books every month and more than a pleasure, it became boring and tedious. Despite, when I was young I started reading interesting books for my age which drew me many lessons but when I finished my high school I did not read again until now.


During this time I have developed an enjoyment for literature, especially romance novels, being one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen. She was a British writer who was a pioneer of the genre, romance novels. In broad terms, this is a literary genre and its primary focus is on relationships between two people who are in love. Besides, happy endings are the most expected and desired.


The stories transfer me to a parallel world where everything is possible. They make me feel like I am escaping from my life into a world, where everything works out in the end, with happy and fantastic results. It seems like I could leave for a moment this earthly world that goes beyond dream things. However, these kinds of stories have a plot, characters, context, etc. like any book that will be developed through different situations. In addition, these novels help me to believe that a better world is possible if we fight for.


These recent years, I think I have developed a very positive thinking about literature. I am an optimistic and hopeful person who believes that writers of every generation will bring their own gifts, thoughts and ideas to the world through literature.

ANIMAL FARM

Animal Farm is an allegorical novel written by George Orwell . It was published in 1945 in England. It portrayed many topics, but in this case we are going to focus in vocabulary and language used in this book. The way in which language can be manipulated as an instrument of power and control is amazing. Orwell tried to develop a novel in a satiric way so he used a different language and vocabulary and he developed his ideas through animal as characters. First of all, pigs had been studying so they learned human language better than others animals. It was a weapon against the rest of the animal because they were able to control and take the power of the farm. Besides, they learned to write so they decided to create some rules which were used in favor of pigs. If all animals had studied and learned human language, they would have controlled the farm at the same level of pigs. In this case, we have a clear example “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This outrageous abuse of the word “equal” started to increase while the novel progresses.

The legacy of Poe and Christie: imagination without limits!

Today, reading is necessary for people to develop in many ways.  In many cases, talking to people, there is the issue of reading and the pleasure that many have for reading, but why should this interest? They are often quite specific authors who get our attention and help to generate that love of reading. Their manner of writing and to create, lead us to imagine infinity of situations, characters, settings, etc. which is the cause that people develop this attraction. This is why a comparison is made between the writing styles of Edgar Allan Poe and Agatha Christie, taking into account several points.

First of all, we need to know these two great writers. Edgar Allan Poe was born on 1809 and died on 1849, writer, American poet and critic, best known as the first master of short fiction, especially horror and mystery. Regarding the structure and method for constructing a good story, Edgar Allan Poe once said: "To my mind, first of all considerations must be the intended effect of the cause. Having always displayed originality, I say, first of all, among the innumerable effects or impressions that are capable of receiving the heart, intelligence, or, generally speaking, the soul, what will be the one I should choose to write the story? As for "The Gold Bug," Poe immerses the reader in an atmosphere of adventure and mystery through expository-argumentative language.

Second, Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller married Archibald Christie, whereby she received the surname of her husband and today she is known as Agatha Christie. She was born in 1890 and died in 1976. She was an English writer specializing in police and romantic genres. Her 79 novels and dozens of short stories were translated into almost every language. Her classic characters Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple were very popular.  In her autobiography, Agatha Christie admits to never really having a place or room which was specifically to write in. All she said she needed was a steady table and a typewriter, quite often just the dining room table. Christie creates about 6 or 8 characters whose are involved in different situations. In addition, her stories have false clues that lead the reader interested in solving the cases, which change from one moment to another.

On the other hand, the stories have more differences than similarities. The Gold Bug is developed on a small island fourteen kilometers from Charleston in America. In contrast The Million Dollar Bond Robbery takes place in London and Scottish Bank. In the first one the narrator tells the story of William Legrand who has financial problems and he had to live in a hut. He used to go hiking with his big dog and his African servant named Jupiter, but the second one talk about the famous detective Hercule Poirot with his partner Captain Hastings, who solved the theft case without problems. In addition, Poe shows how Legrand and his friends found the treasure because they were following the clues that he had deciphered from the parchment of Captain Kidd. Even though, Poirot also deciphers clues but he does by instinct and not guided by any writing, just for that people's actions are wrong for him. As the stories have different topics, the vocabulary used by writers is also different because Poe uses vocabulary related to pirates and jewelry, whereas Agatha use a vocabulary related to detectives, banks, money, and travel. Even the writers use a different language, which could be explained by the nationality of each. However, in both stories is looking to find something lost, treasure and bonds, and have characters focus on that mission. Likewise the stories keeps readers focused on what will happen because all the narrative is based on these searches.

Moreover, the narrative genre is a literary genre which tells a fictional story when the author may or may not be directly involved. Therefore, what was narrated by Poe and Christie belong to this genre but differ in that one is story and the other is a novel. The first is a short story, which invented a situation with a very simple argument and the content can be varied. In general, its development has few characters on the story and the process becomes very important in the final outcome. Also the story develops values ​​that we can clearly find on The Gold Bug. While the novel is a prose narrative most extensive and complex than the story, in which the story appears complicated or intense plot, and setting up an autonomous world and imaginary. This is the case of The Million Dollar Bond Robbery.

In my opinion, the story and the novel are interesting. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery creates an interest from beginning to end. Since you started reading it, you were interested to know who was the guilty and you pay attention in every clue that could help you to find the suspect as Poirot. I like investigations where the guilty does not appear immediately and when it is not obvious, so you have to develop a whole theory to reach the end. I think the style of Agatha Christie is more for adults than children, as a novel of this type does not draw much attention of kids because it is not fun, entertaining, does not has drawings and does not covers topics of their age.

Finally, I prefer The Gold Bug because it is a really fun story; it is a better option for children who like to read. It generates an interest with topics relates to pirates and treasure hunts. The Gold Bug stimulates my imagination, the book leads me to a distant world where everything is fun and it may be possible, in contrast with the plot of Christie. Also, important lesson leaves me full of values ​​that I could apply to my life, for example Legrand teaches us that we should be perseverant, we should trust in our friends, and we must be leal and faithful because these actions will be rewards in the future. 

Why do you write?

In general there are so many thoughts and feelings going through my mind and heart when I write, it's hard to explain why. Many times I feel the need to write some important event of the day or just some little detail that was important for me to see the end of the day better.

On this occasion I will write a bit about how important it is to take every day to the fullest as if tomorrow would not have another chance. My weekend was great, I was with people that I love and with whom I shared great moments, but more significant was something that taught me a friend. The people usually live a hectic life full of activities, but how much we value every time? The last time things have happened to me, which helped me to enjoy in one way or another my day to day. I think it is time to fight for my dreams, live hard, think less and act more; enjoying all things that life gives me.

There is a song called "My last day" who says that we should not wait until tomorrow if the day is today, we make each day the best that we can live. I could be talking about this a long time, but if you listen to this track, analyze it, you try to dream and make it a reality, maybe you can understand I am talking about.

Finally, in my opinion it is not necessary to write a thousand words, because if your heart and mind are open with few words you can understand the whole universe of thought and feeling close to you.

"Million Dollar Bond Robbery"

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The Million Dollar Bond Robbery is a short story by Agatha Christie. Christie tells us how is the theft of Liberty Bonds of the London and Scottish Bank on the Olympia, and that is where it seems the famous detective Hercule Poirot with his partner Captain Hastings, who solved the case without problems.

It begins when Miss Farquhar Esmée went to visit to Poirot to discuss the issue of theft of Liberty Bonds, because she is engaged to Mr. Philip Ridgeway, and he was the one who was in charge of the bonds in the trip to New York, because his uncle, Mr. Vavasour,  suffered a severe bronchitis so he could not go there.

Poirot takes the case and he begins his investigation. First he went to speak directly with the person most involved, Mr. Ridgeway. He explained the same version that his fiancee, also he added that the box (which was sent to transport especially the bonds) he had been forced to open it, but curiously the end it was open with the correct key.

Finally, Poirot and Hasting talked with Miss Esmée F. to tell the outcome of the investigation. Poirot believed that Mr. Ridgeway could not be guilty because the case would have been very clear and simple. Therefore he had two options, the first one is that the bonds had been hidden in the boat and the second option is unlikely that the bonds had been thrown overboard. Logically if the second option were true, the bonds would not have been sold in New York, then that option is removed. Poirot took the option that the bonds were never in the Olympia and they were sent in the Gigantic the same day, but this boat is faster, so in New York the bonds arrived before with instructions that they were sold just arrived Olympia there.

However, at the Olympia had to travel for someone to plan the possible robbery , so there was a man in the booth next to Mr. Ridgeway, and he had to pretend to pick the lock so it would look like a real steal. Of course, the man was hiding behind his clothes to avoid being caught or recognized by Mr. Ridgeway. The guilty of the theft, the man who never had a severe bronchitis was Mr. Shaw.

The case settled and blameless leaving Mr. Ridgeway is how the story of Agatha Christie ends.

From the summarize of the story above and based on the video seen in the class, I present a number of similarities and differences:

-       Although the characters are almost the same, their roles and relationships are totally different. A clear example is that Mr. Ridgeway in the video works at the bank and he is an outstanding employee, but the book says that he is the nephew of Mr. Vavasour.

-       In the book the ship was called Olympia, but in the video the ship was called Queen Mary.

-       Another contrast is that the keys were given to different people: (video) Mr. Shaw, Mr. Ridgeway and Mr. Vavasour had a copy of a key; (book) Mr. Shaw, Mr. McNeil, Mr. Ridgeway and Mr. Vavasour had a copy of a key.

-       There is an important contradiction about the problem that Mr. Shaw suffered, because in the book he has been severely ill with bronchitis at his home in the country and the video showed to us that he was poisoned by someone.

-       Also we can find that Hercule Poirot do not travel on the Olympia, but Hasting and Poirot was invited to travel with Mr. Ridgeway on the Queen Mary, and in this travel Hasting meet a beautiful woman who was in the cabin next to Mr. Ridgeway because she is the person who helped to Mr. Shaw with his evil plan.

-          However, I found some similarities. For example, Miss Esmée F. was engaged with Mr. Ridgeway; the main idea of the story is the same, I mean that the million dollar bonds was stolen; another important similarity is the guilty is the same person, in both cases is Mr. Shaw but using different ways, and Mr. Ridgeway was always blamed by the people of the bank.

In the other hand, I believe that it is a good detective story because when you read you can imagine every situation, every character and all the places where the story is happened. Also I like the guilty was Mr. Shaw because I never imagine he could be a thief. It is fantastic when Agatha C. give to readers some clue but at the end these are not relevant because it is for mislead.

Nevertheless, it is difficult imagine everything if you has been reading the book after that you watch the video because in my case I can not forget the movie when I read, so the situations are different.

I dislike when directors of movies change the real story that the authors write with a great imagination. Sometimes the movies are really different and it is uncomfortable for the readers. I think that a good example that you do not need to change the real story is a movie and a book called Pride and Prejudice.  In this case when you read a book and after you watch a movie, or vice versa, you can understand every situation with the correct character doing the same things that you read or watch.

However, there are some movies which change the original story but in a better way. Some variances help to understand the main idea. In most of the cases kids received the benefits when they watch a movie with full colors, beautiful images, and interesting characters with funny and colorful clothes.

Finally, I want to give you a recommendation because it is important for me that you know an important fact, when you read a book and you know that exist a movie about this book you should read a book and then watch a movie, because in my opinion is the better way in which you will be not disappointed.  

Peter and the wolf

When we are children, our parents always tell us stories or accounts to teach us something.
It is very common that when we grow up we tell the same stories to our children and continue through the years.
A very old story, but very good one is the Peter and the Wolf. My mom told us this story to my sisters and me, when I was 5 years old.

One day a boy named Peter was working in the garden of his father where he had planted lettuce. Suddenly he began to cry "wolf, wolf, help me please!" and many people came running to help him, but it was only a lie of the child. People were very angry and they went home. Peter laughed for the joke that he  had done to his neighbors and his parents.

Another day while everyone was working on their farms, Pedrito began to scream again that the wolf came, screaming and screaming, many people quickly ran to help him but it was another lie. The angry neighbors returned to their work and the child's parents punished him for the joke he had made. Parents warned that continued to scream and lie, in the end nobody would believe him.

A week later, Peter was playing on the farm and suddenly appeared a huge, ferocious wolf who wanted to steal all the vegetables from her father. The child screamed and screamed but no one helped. Finally the wolf stole lettuce, carrots, potatoes, corn, etc. Peter ran home and began to mourn.
When he saw his parents, he told them what had happened and they gave him a big hug. His father told him that he had warned that there was to make jokes because if it were true nobody would come to help, and that was it. Pedrito learned his lesson, he apologized to the people of the village and never lied.

The moral of this story leaves us is that we should never lie, we must always tell the truth because, so people will believe what we say and they always help us.
Moreover, we must trust on our parents and we should accept what they tell us because they always will protect us.