American Literature Case

American Literature in some ways is like studying the American History. Many of the literary works tells us a great deal of the history of the nation. However, literature is not always "sugar coated" like some of the American History textbooks that we have. American History textbooks are written by historians, usually from this century. American Literature authors may tell us the history of the United States by sharing with us the reader some of their personal experiences that they have encountered during the early development of this great nation.

From the fifteenth century through the end of the seventeenth century, American Literature authors discussed the beginning of the development of this nation, starting with some explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Bartolome De Las Casas and Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca. This period of American Literature also give us type some details about European migration and their encounters with Native Americans, as the same as introduction of Puritan values to the Americas.

The reason that American literature is unique is because America from its very beginning had a special philosophy of life and freedom and reflected it on its writings. Americans had a simple faith that God was the giver of all our rights and freedoms thus if we had faith in ourselves we could succeed in anything we had tried, and if we ever failed we were free to try again. Our literature for the most part had displayed for the world to read and understand that our life was what we made it and our ability to spring back from adversity made life worth living. George Washington was a great example. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Children's Hour" or "The Village Blacksmith" shows the American Morality. Love your family and especially your children, do the best job that you can and don't hold grudges, and then life will be good even in difficult times.

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