American literature

Hello! I had recently finished reading "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "Rip Van Winkle" which are both short stories/folk tales written by Washington Irving (most of you probably already know that though =P).

When I finished reading these, it mentioned in the afternotes that these short stories were distinctly American, which sparked my interests. However, it did not elaborate any further. I've tried researching why these stories are "distinctly American" but to no avail.

What are characteristics of American literature? And how do those two short stories convey the characteristics?

I don't think that I have read "The Devil and Tom Walker", but Rip Van Winkle" is distinctly Amercan, because it doesn't rely on non-American background or mythology, the setting, characters, and actions are completely American. It is also one of the neatest pieces of satire that I have ever read, but most people don't see the satire, because they aren't aware that there aren't any poor Van Winkles. The Van Winkles long ago started putting their money out at interest and "sleeping" for twenty years, while the money earned interest.

PeterL, I've never read Rip Van Winkle, so you can tell me, is the style decidedly non-English? Because not only does the content have to be original, but so does the style.

I can tell you that Emerson most likely did not think those works American, as he told Harvard in 1837 that we need original American poets. And this call wasn' truly answered until Leaves of Grass in 1855.

I think Washington Irving can be seen as transitionary in style. But nonetheless, he is American. His themes are very American.

The world wide web of literature is so inextricably woven together that, unless you define your terms very precisely, there is no sense in talking about American, British, English, Latvian, Chinese or whatever literature.

All literature shares themes of love, death, family, duty and so on. All European literature resonates with the treatment of those themes and others by classical Greek writers, and the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.

American literature is a derivative of European literature, and cannot divorce itself, any more than the literature of England can, from its Shakespearian heritage, to mention but a tiny part. And the literature of England has been enriched and influenced since the seventeenth century, I guess, or since 1776, we know, by writers from west of the Atlantic.

So - I did not mean to be contentious - can we have a more precise answer to the original questions?

What are characteristics of American literature? And how do those two short stories convey the characteristics?

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Originally Posted by Whifflingpin

The world wide web of literature is so inextricably woven together that, unless you define your terms very precisely, there is no sense in talking about American, British, English, Latvian, Chinese or whatever literature.

All literature shares themes of love, death, family, duty and so on. All European literature resonates with the treatment of those themes and others by classical Greek writers, and the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.

American literature is a derivative of European literature, and cannot divorce itself, any more than the literature of England can, from its Shakespearian heritage, to mention but a tiny part. And the literature of England has been enriched and influenced since the seventeenth century, I guess, or since 1776, we know, by writers from west of the Atlantic.

So - I did not mean to be contentious - can we have a more precise answer to the original questions?

What are characteristics of American literature? And how do those two short stories convey the characteristics?

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Good points Whiff. I can only speak of Rip Van Winkle. I haven't read the other.

As to Rip, first it's set in a very specific American locale, the Catskill mountains, and the nuiances of the story reflect the time and place. The story is about a man who falls asleep prior to the American revolution and wakes up after. He sleeps for 20 years or so, and so the culture has changed. He's shocked to find the new governement and shocked to find his rural town has become comercialized, with the values of commerce replacing the values of agrarian society.

Yes, every culture has the same general themes of love, death, family, etc. But the details and nuiances do reflect a time and place and culture. Take The Illiad, with it's themes of war and death and manhood, and one can only see that written the way it was in 8th or was it 9th century BC Greece. It would have been different even in 5th century BC Greece.

"I can only speak of Rip Van Winkle. I haven't read the other."

Ditto, and its many years since I read Rip van Winkle.

"He's shocked to find the new governement "
But, if I remember rightly, in the portrait of the government as shown in the inn sign, the coat has changed from red to blue, but the face is the same.
Is this significant, maybe a part of the satire that PeterL refers to?

"But the details and nuances do reflect a time and place and culture."
Indeed so. That is why I did not say that there is no such thing as American literature, only that it needs a fairly precise definition.

So - in Rip van Winkle, we have a) written by an American, b) set in a significant time in American history,* c) set in specific American location, and d) having a theme of commerce versus agriculture. Any one of these would not be sufficient, but taken together they make it "distinctly American."
Is that a fair answer to the question?



(*contradiction in terms of course, to an Englishman such as myself - US may have literature but it certainly has no history)

There's also the rapidity of the shift in cultures Rip experiences, as I recall, that I'd classify as American, perhaps not distictly though. I have a hard time with this sort of thing, for many of the reasons Whiff pointed out.

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Originally Posted by Omnipotent

What are characteristics of American literature?

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I think what makes American literature "American" is 1) It must be written by an American and 2) the writing reflects an American experience. The experience is key.

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Originally Posted by Whifflingpin

(*contradiction in terms of course, to an Englishman such as myself - US may have literature but it certainly has no history)

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Huh? What do you mean America has no history? That is silly, of course it does. Er, or else no one would be required to take US History classes! And Howard Zinn would have nothing to write about. What do you mean by this statement?

"What do you mean by this statement?"

I just mean to wind people up - but I might ask how you could think that the US has a history, when the country is younger than any tortoise of mature years, or at least, it was when I was young, half a century or so ago. I notice you are located in Oregon, my great-grandpa was there with young General Crook, just after your north/south squabble - my grandpa told me all about it.

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Originally Posted by Wild Apple

PeterL, I've never read Rip Van Winkle, so you can tell me, is the style decidedly non-English? Because not only does the content have to be original, but so does the style.

I can tell you that Emerson most likely did not think those works American, as he told Harvard in 1837 that we need original American poets. And this call wasn' truly answered until Leaves of Grass in 1855.

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The tone, style , and language were not British. Washington Irving was a teller of casual, pleasant stories. I haven't read a lot of British popular stories from the early 1800's, but Irving's style was very unlike English writers of that period that I have read. I wouldn't be surprised, if Emerson just didn't like the non-intellectual style..

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Originally Posted by genoveva

I think what makes American literature "American" is 1) It must be written by an American and 2) the writing reflects an American experience. The experience is key.

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I'll drink to that.

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Originally Posted by PeterL

I don't think that I have read "The Devil and Tom Walker", but Rip Van Winkle" is distinctly Amercan, because it doesn't rely on non-American background or mythology, the setting, characters, and actions are completely American.

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However, backgrounds on the folk tale "Rip Van Winkle" state that that folk tale is based on German folktales.

I think I grasp the concept of what makes a literature piece American.

You guys are wonderful. Thank you very much. =)

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Originally Posted by Omnipotent

However, backgrounds on the folk tale "Rip Van Winkle" state that that folk tale is based on German folktales.

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It may be true that there were German folk tales that shared some feathures with Rip's story, but Irving's story is quite original and definitely American in setting, characters, and concept.