American literature: overview and key works

American Literature

Frederick Douglas' autobiography "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas" and Kate Chopin's short story "A Pair of Silk Stockings" put across accounts from the lives of two African-Americans living in the nineteenth century. Whereas the action in "A Pair of Silk Stockings" takes place somewhere around the turn of the century, Frederick Douglas' account is told from the perspective of a man who lived through slavery and who is determined to contribute to ending it. In spite of the fact that slavery is no longer present in Kate Chopin's short story, one can still understand that African-Americans were discriminated at the time and that they were associated with poverty.

Douglas is prevented from achieving freedom by the slavery system, as it was thriving during the period. In contrast, Mrs. Sommers is kept into place by the fact that she is poor. Her poverty influences her in having a feeling of inferiority, as she apparently wants to compensate by spending the little money that she has on pieces of clothing that she cannot afford. She feels that clothes are very important in raising one's self-esteem and that it is essential for her to invest her finances in her appearance. Similarly, Douglas considers that education will save him from the harsh living that he is experiencing in work camps. While Mrs. Sommers acknowledges that her success will not last for long, Douglas' perspective is less bleak, given that he is certain concerning his well-being in the North. Douglas practically longs to live a life like the one that Mrs. Sommers is living. Education and the hope that he will one day escape slavery is what empower Douglas to continue his efforts. In spite of their initial success in society, both Douglas and Mrs. Sommers reach a stage when they realize that they have to return to their complicated lives. Even with that, Douglas eventually recovers and realizes that his only chance to happiness stands in escaping slavery.

2) The character of Dexter Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" is focused on engaging in enterprises that will provide him with a place in the "wealthy people" club. The fact that his father owns a thriving grocery store presents him with the money scene and fuels him into wanting more from life. The fact that he does not hesitate to get a job as a caddy for the local golf club actually demonstrates that he is a hard-working individual who knows that one has to start from the bottom in order to achieve positive results. His encounter with his boss' daughter, Judy Jones, plays an essential role in motivating him to move further and to abandon his job.

Following college, Dexter seriously upgrades his social status by engaging in a laundering business with a partner. This motivates him to return home, partly because this will get him the chance to join the league of rich individuals and partly because money no longer stands as an impediment between him and Judy. His plans rapidly fade, however, as he realizes that Judy is unwilling to abandon her other suitors for him. Dexter's weakness for Judy influences him in abandoning his wife and in joining World War One as he acknowledges that Judy does not want him. Although he is heartbroken, he is toughened by the war and comes to be one of the most successful businessmen in New York. The news regarding Judy's condition as a housewife who is frequently abused by her husband shatters Dexter's hopes concerning a potential relationship between him and her. His failure to marry Judy and his success as a businessman put an end to two of his most important dreams. Even though he attained material wealth, he did not succeed in gaining the wealth he hoped he would attain by being in a relationship with Judy.

3) The expression "practice makes performance" is one of the most accurate sayings, as it virtually influences individuals in trying to get as much experience as they possibly can. Employers are typically accustomed to hiring employees on account of their experience, as a diploma is worthless as long as the person looking for a job has no experience in the field. People are typically unaware of the complexity of a particular act until they actually come to perform the respective act. The main character in Stephen Crane's "A Mystery of Heroism," Fred Collins, is initially unaware of the gravity related to warfare and childishly expresses his desire to drink some water. Even with the fact that he experiences war firsthand and that he is on the frontline, his lack of experience in warfare prevents him from understanding that his life is at risk.

A person who reads regarding war-related matters or is subjected to intense drills before reaching the battlefield is definitely better prepared than someone who has no information whatsoever concerning conflicts. Despite that, the former is likely to discover that all the information that he processed before going to war is of little to no assistance at the moment when he or she encounters the combat zone. Whether if it is because of the fact that he wanted to focus on mundane matters with the purpose of avoiding being influenced by the horror seen on the battlefield or whether he was simply unable to comprehend the gravity of his condition, Fred Collins did not consider that going after water in the middle of the battlefield was actually dangerous for him. His fear gradually developed as he witnessed battle personally and as he realized that he could have lost his life in the process. It is very probable that this experience had a deep influence on him and on his perspective regarding warfare and the importance of life.

4) T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" presents readers with the complex character of Alfred Prufrock as he puts across a series of feelings without actually explaining them and without providing much detail regarding his personality. It is difficult to determine who Prufrock wants to talk to in this monologue, as one might consider several audiences in trying to understand Prufrock's intended public. Taking into account that Prufrock is internalizing his feelings, one might be inclined to believe that he is particularly shy. Regardless of his intended audience, it is obvious that he finds it very difficult to express his sentiments. Although he relates to them, it is very probable that he does not actually want someone to be presented with them, as he feels more comfortable being the only one who knows the pressure that he feels. He appears to be capable of producing complex philosophical thought and this is likely to be one of the reasons for which he expresses pessimism in regard to the world. He tends concentrate too much on certain matters and this prevents him from going on with his plans.