Cultural Struggles in American Literature

Paper Summary:

The paper first looks at Kate Chopin's "The Storm" and how it indicates the cultural discontent facing the American woman and then turns to E.A. Robinson's "Mr. Flood's Party," that highlights the often cruel and exclusive American experience. The paper also examines Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", focusing on how the main character, Huck, captures the internal conflict that would identify America on its path to Civil War. Finally, the paper shows how T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock" points to the conflict between American culture and individual identity.

From the Paper:

"The America which entered into the 20th century would be one in constant flux. In the century since its birth, the nation had established itself as an independent body with progressive dreams and deep cultural rifts. These would unfold into the Civil War and its attendant implications regarding America's struggle for a unified identity. The literature which paints a portrait of this struggle during the late 19th and early 20th century shows that America's future would in many ways only be colored by further splintering of individual and cultural tendencies."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Chopin, Kate. (1898). The Storm. About Literature. Online at <http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/kchopin/bl-kchop-thestorm.htm>
• Eliot, T.S. (1917). The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock. The Egoist.
• Robinson, E.A. (1921). Mr. Flood's Party. Web Books. Online at http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Robinson_E/MrFlood.htm
• Twain, Mark. (1884). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Charles L. Webster and Co.

More papers on Cultural Struggles in American Literature:

• Term Paper # 143257 : "Culture and Literature"
• Term Paper # 112400 : "Migrant Literature"
• Book Review # 103605 : "First Nations Literature"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: