In this activity, students can create a timeline of the literary movements in American literature. Students will use a timeline to portray the major movements in form and genre from Puritanism to Modernism. Having students use elements, like characters and settings, that are indicative of the time period to depict life in the era will help them understand the experience of people from that period. Students will also connect changes between the periods. For example, students will notice that Puritanism had a strong belief and reliance on God, whereas its successor, the Age of Reason, shifted focus to understanding through logic and science.
When giving directions, take care not to stifle student creativity. Allow them to select the information they feel will be most important to know. In the description boxes, students can answer a variety of questions about the time period.
Example questions include:
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline depicting the different American literary movements.
Begin the discussion by generally talking about literature. Teachers can ask students what literature is, if they are aware of any different types of literature, the impacts of literature, and how literature influences societies. All these questions will create an interesting atmosphere for the discussion and give the teachers a starting point to build the lecture.
Once the students are more familiar with the background and context of the discussion, introduce the main topic of the discussion. Teachers can first introduce American Literature and keep the students engaged in the discussion by asking if they are aware of any famous American authors or literature. List all the periods of American Literature and discuss the types of literary movements within the context.
Encourage your students to find motifs, symbols, and repeating themes in each era's literature. Talk about how these represent the issues of the day. By focusing on some specific authors of types of literature, students can also analyze the themes and influences in detail and perform their own research.
Talk about the literary devices, vocabulary, and writing styles used by writers from each era. Examine and contrast the approaches to storytelling taken by various eras. To give more background and viewpoints, include primary materials from each era, such as speeches, letters, and historical records. As an activity, each student can analyze one piece of primary source according to their own interest and share their analysis with the rest of the class.
Organize conversations in groups so that students may explore the literature and provide their opinions and thoughts. Teachers can assign several group and individual activities to help students understand different concepts better and more effectively. Encourage the students to think from several perspectives.
The Romantic Period (1800–1860), the Colonial Period (1607–1765), the Realist/Naturalist Period (1865–1914), the Modernist Period (1914–1945), and the Contemporary Period (1945–present) are a few significant American literary trends.
The topics, forms, and concerns of American literature over these different periods were greatly influenced by historical events such as the American Revolution, the Civil War, and both World Wars.
A great range of voices and styles characterize the Contemporary Period. It represents the richness and diversity of American culture by encompassing a wide range of genres, issues, and viewpoints.