American Lit. Study Guide
Know dramatic situation, form of poem, setting, and plot for all stories/poems
Elizabeth Bishop
Her father died when she was 8 years old; her mother suffered a series of breakdowns and was institutionalized when her daughter was 5.
Marianne Moore influenced her in college.
Long friendship with Robert Lowell.
-"The Fish"
Talks about the fish in great detail
Compares hooks in the mouth to medals because it is a victory to get away.
Calls the fish him.
The accomplishment of not getting caught all of those different times.
-"One Art"
Villanelle poem
Begins with just talking about the loss of little things.
The objects become more meaningful as the poem goes on.
The poem is actually about the loss of a loved one.
-her relationship with Lowell (post modernist manifestos)
The two writers were friends for many years and often exchanged their work.
In Bishop’s view, Lowell’s use of Hardwick’s letters violated a trust and mixed fact with fiction in unclear and inappropriate ways.
Ralph Ellison
Born in Oklahoma; Went to Tuskegee Institute.
Became friends with Jimmy Rushing a blues singer and acquainted with other members of what would be the great Count Basie band.
Went to New York city and was encouraged to write by novelist Richard Wright.
-his view of "The Invisible Man"
He referred to it as a failure.
Wanted it to be read as “simply a novel” and not as a “statement”.
-his critics' views of "The Invisible Man"
Irving Howe: took the author to task for not following Richard Wright’s lead and devoting his fiction to the Negro cause
Howe believed that African Americans should write social protest novels about the tragedy of black ghetto life.
Flannery O'Connor
-both of her stories
-character development in both stories
-plot
-symbolism
Joy Harjo
-The Path to the Milky Way Leads to LA"
-"She Had Some Horses"
Sherman Alexie
-introduction
-"Do Not Go Gentle"
-details/what happens in...