A29美国部分Chapter 21 Literature,Architecture and Music Ⅰ.American Literature.doc

Chapter 21 Literature Architecture and Music Ⅰ. American Literature The first American writings were written by those first settlers in English colonies. They wrote about their voyages to the new land, about adapting themselves to unfamiliar climates and crops. Ben- jamin Franklin (1706-1790) was the only writer in the colonial period whose works are read today. Lost tune is never found again God helps those who help themselves are very famous sayings in his Poor Richards Almanac, which is an annual collection of proverbs. His uncompleted Autobiography is perhaps the first real American writing as well as the first real autobiography in English. The real American literature began after the American War of Independence and Washington Irving was the first American writer who gained international fame. Washington Irving In the early part of the nineteenth century, New York City was the center of American writing. Its writers were called Knickerbockers and the period from 1810 to 1840 is known as the knickerbockers era of American literature. The name comes from A History of New York, by Diedrick Knickerbocker written by Washington Irving (1783-1859 - Irvings book created a lot of interest in the local history of New York, but it was humorous rather than a serious history of the city. Irving was born in a wealthy merchant family and was well educated. He visited several European countries and stayed there for many years. His writings about the New World aroused European interest. His most famous book The Sketch Book contains two of the best-loved stories from American literature: Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The plots of both stories are based on old German folk tales but Irving fills them with the local color of New Yorks Hudson River Valley. Rip Van Winkle to distribute wine among these people. Rip Van Winkle also has a few drinks. Then he falls asleep. When he wakes up, it is broad daylight. He gathers up his courage and makes his way back home, f