The Theory Or No Theory?

According to Raymond Williams, “In a class society, all beliefs are founded on class position, and the systems of belief of all classes …” (Rice and Waugh 122). His work titled, Marxism and Literature expounded on the conflict between social classes to bridge the political ideals of Marxism with the implicit comments rendered through the text of a novel. “For the practical links,” he states “between ‘ideas’ and ‘theories’ and the ‘production of real life’ are all in this material social process of signification itself” (133). Williams asserts that a Marxist approach to literature introduces a cross-cultural universality, ensuingly adding a timeless value to text by connecting creative and artistic processes with the material products that

Literature is considered a mirror of the society. The pool of content in literary writing stems from the environment in which the writer is placed. A writer will use this environment to advance his/her views of the society and at the same time drive into the audience/readers important information that he/she wishes to pass. Hunter S. Thompson has used his creativity in the novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas written in the 1960s to reflect on American society with Las Vegas as the point of reference.

The so called American Dream may never have been real, that is, until tragedies occurred. However impossible it may seem for America to succeed, it always manages to unite. Through the use of comparison in complex similes, encouraging repetition, and personification along with rhetorical appeals such as ethos, logos, and pathos, Anna Quindlen and Abraham Lincoln describe how a divided America banded together in unity after traumatic instances and how a time of despair leads to a united nation.

Every text is made up of tremendously important parts called literary devices or techniques. In those texts, those literary devices are a necessary part, that help develop the text in a large amount of ways. In “Response to executive order 9066” by Dwight Okita and “Mericans” by Sandra Cisneros both develop the common theme of American identity by using literary devices such as, simile, imagery, and personification.

In today's world there is one thing that can be found across the globe. This thing is highly influential, loved by many, and of of the most innovative things to ever be seen. What is this thing? It is America. The modern world would not be the same without it. But what does it mean to be American? To be an American, you must follow one principle: you must chase the American dream. Being American is not about being successful or even having money. It is the simple concept of chasing the American dream not succeeding in achieving it. This essay will explain the American dream and how it relates to the American identity in three ways: Through classic American literature, a study of historical documents, and a close look

Davidson, James West. Us: A Narrative History, Volume 2. 6th ed. Vol. 2. [S.l.]: Mcgraw Hill Higher Educat, 2011. Print.

In the early years of America’s foundation, a powerful air of uncapped potential, the desire for expansion and individual identification enamored the American people. Progress was inevitable as was cultural definition. But as time progressed, the feeling of unlimited strength, time and space transformed into something that, for better or worse, was no longer shared by later poets. Those of the “New World” came to realize that their world never really managed to leave behind the faults of the “Old.” Societal tension rose as different poets and authors struggled to pin down the direction of American culture and its ideals. When no solid idea was able to capture American culture adequately, the concept of an ever-evolving American identity

The folk panorama of America noticeably shifts and become less outlined by the “Anglo-Protestant culture” (Foreign Policy), than previous occurrences. It may be considered a warning instead of a danger to American’s identify, if we tend to change modern day back to historical traditions. Conversely, American culture needs to be clarified on what it is. The approach that fundamentalists and non-traditionalists comparable to Samuel Huntington, manage to theorize culture as stable, instead of alteration. Due to this response, everyone should observe and state that American culture and identify will always continue to change, especially with the migration of countries.

Brinkley, A. (2012). American History (14th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Literary and Cultural Theory. Boston: Houghlin, Mufflin Co. 2001. Print. This text talks about Marxism and his key principles.

When foreigners think of America, they think of McDonald’s, the Statue of Liberty, Hollywood film stars, and the list goes on. In terms of Americans, people associate Texans with cowboy boats, Californians with surfboards, and New Yorkers with a snobbish grin on their face. It is true that all these things represent America in one way or another, but what exactly is American identity? Erikson’s analysis on American identity has drawn attention to four topics: Mom, adolescent, boss, and machine. He links all four topics together by using the myth of John Henry Hero. Goffman, on the other hand, develops dramaturgical analysis to understand human behaviors. He sees men as actors with different roles and these actors have to perform to

In a world without the different ideas from authors, readers would be reading the same types of stories without any diversity. There would be only one theme of a story until a brave author would break away from the chain and make a different type of story. Sure, the writer of the story would be rejected from society for a while, but the story they wrote will change the views of future author’s writing. Literature throughout history has shown many various ideas of themes. One of the most important themes is that of individualism. The theme of individualism means to be an individual, or refusing conform to anyone else’s views or thoughts. Individuality is the most universal theme in all of American Literature. Individualism is demonstrated in the texts “The Minister’s Black Veil”, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour”, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature”, “To Build a Fire” written by Jack London, and Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”.

Americans through the years of existence have adapted well to the radical changes throughout the world. Technology, independence and social equality are some of the diverse concepts the United States have adapted to and developed in order to become a more unified country. Our nation believes that it is exceptional when it comes to other countries worldwide. As can be shown through the popular reference to America as the ‘shining city on a hill’. The term “American exceptionalism” is derived from ideals held by many Americans throughout history. Different people have analyzed American exceptionalism through multiple literary devices. Works such as A Model of Christian Charity, What is an American and Acres of Diamonds illustrate the

In truth, its history dates back as far as the sixteenth century, following the first great expansion of European capitalism, which resulted in slave trade, colonialism and neo-colonialism (Ezema, 2009). Throughout history, world powers have continually sought to perpetuate their way of life: from the philosophy and mythology of the Greeks, the political ideologies and linguistics of the Romans, and the art and architecture of the Italian Renaissance (Daghrir, 2013). Thus, it comes as no surprise that the aftermath of the post-war era, which saw the collapse of Soviet communism and the emergence of the United States as the sole hegemon, saw the aggressive spread of American ideals, values, and beliefs. Indeed, just as American goods flooded world markets in the post-World War II era; American culture now penetrates every continent through the aggressive development of mass communications, trade expansion and information technology.

America is defined because of the illustrious past it has been built upon. Challenges that were faced moving into the 20th century had the potential to propel America greatly if overcome. Stephen Crane and Mark Twain have very influential works, which help uncover the truth about America's situation without any optimism to show the reality of the ignored parts of society. Crane and Twain let readers perceive the novels how they wish, and through the acceptance of truth, some will start a change. However, the reader will have to start by making a personal change to push new ideas out to society. By looking at the core American values of materialism and individualism it is evident that Maggie: Girl of the Streets and Adventures of Huckleberry