English - Unit 1
Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
"A New England Nun"
Sarah Orne Jewett
"A White Heron"
Jack London
"To Build A Fire"
"A White Heron"
Sylvia is an introverted little girl, who likes to hide out in the woods with her friend (a cow). She is first frightened by the ornithologist, but she soon develops a crush on him. Sylvia's grandmother, Ms. Tilley, welcomes the ornithologist, who ignores her words until she mentions Sylvia's familiarity with the woods. He offers a reward, $10 ($300 today), to Sylvia and her grandmother if Sylvia tells him where he can find some birds, specifically the white heron. Sylvia eventually finds the white heron, but struggles with telling the ornithologist of its nest's location. Because of her realization that she has a crush on the ornithologist, Sylvia is submissive when she's around him - though she does become more independent when she's alone or with her grandmother. Sylvia doesn't reveal the heron's location, probably because she thinks the heron might have eggs since it has a mate, and loses the ornithologist's friendship as well as the reward but stays true to herself.
Kate Chopin
The Awakening
romanticism
emphasizes nature, emotion, and sometimes, the supernatural; the belief that emotion was more fulfilling than reason or logic. Sometimes this type of literature presents a more idealized view of the world, and sometimes this view is not realistic.
"To Build A Fire"
A newcomer to the Yukon Territory ventures out into the cold despite warnings not to. He plans to meet his friends at the next settlement by that night. He is accompanied by a wolf-dog, a husky, that feels no affection for him and whose instincts tell him that it's too cold for traveling. The man has brought a lunch of bacon and biscuits with him. He builds a small fire and sits down to eat, pleased with the distance he has traveled. After lunch, the man falls through a thin patch of ice. He knows that he'll freeze to death if he doesn't dry his feet, so he tries to build a fire. Unfortunately, a pile of snow falls on the fire, putting it out. By this time, the man's fingers have become frostbitten, and he's unable to build himself another fire. He tries to kill the dog for warmth, but is unable to do so with frost bitten hands. The wolf-dog watches dispassionately as the man dies. Alone, the dog heads to the next camp to seek warmth, food, and shelter.
Stephen Crane
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
The Awakening
Edna is married to Leonce and they have two children. They spend the summer in Grand Isle where Edna befriends Robert, Madame Ratignolle, and Mademoiselle Reisz. Leonce is very preoccupied with appearances, wanting Edna to be the perfect wife for him and the perfect mother for their children - like Madame Ratignolle. Robert flirts with all the women on the island, but he doesn't really flirt with Edna. They soon fall in love with each other, but they don't admit it. Robert leaves for Mexico because he realizes he cares for Edna too much, upsetting Edna who realizes her feelings for Robert are more than friendship. The families on Grand Isle return to New Orleans when the summer is over. Edna had grown more as a person on Grand Isle, realizing that she is more than just a wife and a mother. Back in New Orleans, Edna becomes more laid-back, like she was on Grand Isle - doing what she wants, when she wants. She spends time with Mademoiselle Reisz to read Robert's letters and to listen to her play. When Edna's father visits, she devotes herself to him, but they end things on bad terms when she refuses to go to her sister's wedding. Her father tells Leonce that he needs to have a firmer hand with Edna which Leonce suspects is why Edna's mother is dead. Leonce goes on a business trip and the children go with their grandmother, leaving Edna alone. Edna goes to the racetrack, meeting Alcee Arobin and winning a lot of money. Edna and Arobin's relationship turns into an affair. Edna decides to move into the "pigeon house" around the corner so she can be more independent. Robert returns from Mexico, Edna admits to being in love with him, Edna continues her affair with Arobin, Robert returns to her "pigeon house", they kiss, Edna goes to Madame Ratignolle's side while she is in labor, she returns to her house to find Robert gone, Edna returns to Grand Isle, and Edna starts swimming and eventually drowns.
Maggie: A Girl of the Streets
Jimmie and Maggie are brother and sister in a violent neighborhood with drunk and violent parents. Both their younger brother, Tommie, and their father die, leaving them with violent mother, who gets arrested regularly. Jimmie grows to be a hardened man, who likes to fight because that's the entertainment in this neighborhood, while Maggie grows to be a beautiful and naive woman, who everyone in the village is surprised at not having turned out like her mother. Maggie falls in love with Pete, Jimmie's friend who presents himself as better than he is and who Maggie sees as an escape from her life in the Bowery. Pete and Maggie spend time together, probably sleeping together, and Maggie's mother, Mary, confronts her behavior in her usual violent manner. Maggie leaves home and lives with Pete, angering Jimmie further as Pete has "ruined" his sister, causing Jimmie to get drunk with a friend and fight with Pete. Pete and Maggie go to one of the many shows they have gone to and Pete sees Nellie, who seduces Pete away from Maggie. Maggie waits for Pete to come back to her, but realizes he won't and she tries to go back home. Her mother turns her away by publicly humiliating her then Maggie tries to go back to Pete, who turns her away as well. Jimmie keeps thinking about the women he's been with might have had brothers, too, but keeps pushing them away, thinking it's okay for other women to be "ruined," just not his sister. Maggie most likely becomes a prostitute because she has no one else to take care of her. Mary reacts dramatically when she is told of Maggie's death, saying "I'll forgive her!"
"A New England Nun"
Louisa is extremely introverted and likes to be alone. She has been engaged to Joe Dagget for 15 years, but he went to Australia to get rich from gold and has only just come back after 14 years. They act like strangers during Joe's bi-weekly visits to her house. Louisa most likely has extreme OCD tendencies which makes Joe, and everyone else in their town, find her quite odd. Because Louisa was faithful to Joe for 14 years, he is quite loyal to her, even though he is in love with Lily (Joe's mother's caretaker). Lily won't be with Joe if he leaves Louisa which he knows and would never do. Louisa overhears the two during this conversation, and ponders her engagement to Joe - she doesn't want to marry him, or anyone, and Joe is in love with Lily. On Joe's next visit, Louisa and Joe mutually break off their engagement without acknowledging the real reasons behind it - Joe's feelings toward Lily and Louisa's feelings toward marriage.
naturalism
sometimes thought of as a type of realism. However, it differs in the sense that it does not present a story strictly as it would happen in real life, but instead it imagines a set of (usually negative) circumstances, places characters within those circumstances, and then tells a story in which the characters must react to their surroundings in a realistic way. The aim of the story seems to be to show how such an abject environment shapes their lives. While characters in these stories have their own free will, it is made clear that these characters were significantly shaped by their environment.
realism
the goal is to tell a story in such a way that the events are presented as they would occur in real life. While previous literary movements would sometimes tell a story about how events should occur, these stories would simply present those events the way that they would happen in the real world. Furthermore, these characters tend to be average, everyday characters whom a reader would expect to encounter as opposed to rich, famous, or powerful characters. However, some writers, such as Henry James, did include upper class characters in their work, believing them to be the best examples of human character. One thing these stories accomplished during the turn of the century was to bring forward issues such as women's rights, labor exploitation, and the problems resulting from overpopulation in tenement housing.
regionalism
writing that is evocative of where it came from. One possible explanation for why this type of writing became so popular during the turn of the century may have to do with the influx of immigrants; portraying the idiosyncrasies of regional culture could be a way to preserve it in the face of change.
