19th-20th Century American Literature

The primary goal of this literature reflection is to demonstrate certain individual viewpoints on American literature from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. The reflection will show how works such as Kerouac's "Big Sur," Ginsberg's "Howl," and Lowell's "The Captured Goddess" represent America. The research would also demonstrate how the literature reflects the shifting times and views of America and its people. The reflection will reveal whether or not the works have any relevance today and how they can benefit the people of America. Finally, the reflection will show how this literature can be used in gaining a better understanding of our past and who Americans have become as a country based on individual thoughts.

From a personal perspective, the work of Kerouac “Big Sur” is a reflection of America because it shares the kind culture that was used in America between the 19th to 20th century. The work of Jack Kerouac was shared by every individual since it was equivalent to the improvisation of Jazz culture that was widely used in America (Clary, Françoise, et al. 9). Jack Kerouac’s work represents the changing times and attitudes of the country and that of the American citizens because it represents the change of culture through musical forms. For instance, “Big Sur” placed great emphasis towards rhythms. It also had improved infections that had some freewheel nature acquired from its references.

The references to the work include Catholicism, Buddhism, authors and books, popular culture, the family, and friends. This literature can be used today to gain a better understanding if the past by reflecting on the religious practices that used to occur in the culture of the Americans. People can use it as a learning platform to learn various religious practice from different cultures so that they cannot go astray of the community practices (Banco and Leonard 6). For instance, the Catholic religion has never changed today. The general people can learn from what people in the 19th century used to do while worshipping their God and use that in their worship today. This shows that the 19th and 20th-century reflections have a significance today since people gain knowledge on how to live and stay in the community today.

Secondly, Ginsberg’s work “Howl” reflect America because it demonstrates the origin of political and cultural incidents that promoted unity in America. The poem also reflects some of the general unrest as well as the communism war that brought foreign policy in the United States during the 20th century. Ginsberg’s used political ideas and the broad representation of views that he could hold for the rest of his life. He used the poem to display some irregular structure and meter that could be a hallmark of Ginsberg poetry.

For instance, Ginsberg uses the song to demonstrate how the poem is a form of music and uses it to assist people to understand how the poem structure can be used in Jazz choruses. I think that the literature represents the changing times and attitudes of America and its citizens because it shows the musical journey and how people could relate music to the political diversity of America. For instance, Ginsberg uses the work to show how poems can relate to music. For example, Ginsberg changes the song from talking about America as a friend or lover (Clary, Françoise, et al. 64). He helps people to discover America through his personified perspective of America as a militaristic culture. The reflection has great significance today because it can contribute to changing the media as well as the politics. For instance, the American media personnel who love America can learn from the poem that it is not good to tarnish the name of their country through the media. They also learn to maintain the militaristic culture of the Americans through the press.

We can use this literature to gain a better understanding of our past and what America has become as a country because the research reveals some of the political unrest that existed during the post-World War II in the United States. The writing also reflects some of the political changes that have occurred in America from the 19th to 20th century (Banco and Leonard 87). One of the primary themes learned from the writing by Ginsberg is the history of the Asian foreign policy. The media can use this writing today to educate people on the history if Nuclear bombs as well.

The final literature that can be used to reflect America and the time around us is “The Captured Goddess” that was written by Amy Lowell. From an individual perspective, Lowell’s literature represents the original historical narratives that resemble the development of vocabulary in America. “The Captured Goddess” widely talks about modernism that began from World War I to the end of World War II (Clary, Françoise, et al. 76). Amy Lowell views modernism as a reaction against realism. She turns a questioning eye towards the reality as well as to challenges which are taken for granted from “The Real world” by most of the ancient writers.

This literature represents the changing times because it represents the unified system that people view as a personal perspective towards human life and how it represents fragile human constructs. It also represents the changing times because the modernist text explores the current themes regarding personal identity and the isolation from the community and the fragmentation of the modern life. The reflection bears some significance today because they show how history and time have become the primary concerns of our life today. The observation also demonstrates some of the various changes that have occurred in the American community.

Summing up, we can use the literature to gain a better understanding of the past because we can learn how literature started being told from a limited point of view instead of being authoritative. We also learn some of the changes that have come up in America and how they have an impact on people in the new world. For instance, we can identify the formal hallmarks of modernism in the American society.



















Works Cited

Banco, Leonard. "American Periodicals: Literature (Opportunities for Research in the Watkinson Library)." (2016).

Clary, Françoise, et al. "International Scholarship." American Literary Scholarship 2013.1 (2015): 427-496.