Read about one author who contributed to the American modernist movement (poet or novelist- NOT one we have already read). Post a response (minimum of 10 sentences) in the comment section about why this author is modern, what he/she wrote, how it is modern, and how it has contributed to the literary world. (DUE: END OF MAY)
13 Comments
Krysten B.
5/20/2016 12:06:51 pm
Kathryn Stockett is a powerful writer that has contributed to the contemporary movement. She was born in Jackson, Mississippi and has a degree in English and creative writing from the University of Alabama. Stockett’s first and only novel,The Help, was published in 2009. The book follows African American maids who work for white people during the nineteen sixties. Since its The Help’s publishing, it has been translated into forty-two different languages and over ten million copies have been sold. Stockett has many characteristics of a contemporary writer. Contemporary writers often times write about real situations and characters, and she has wrote about real life situations and has realistic characters as well. Another trait many contemporary authors have is taking the realistic situations they have created and putting a tragic twist on them. Stockett has also shown this through her book. The Help has contributed to the literary world by being a great example of contemporary literature, addressing a real situations in society, and by becoming such a powerful and well known book around the world.
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Casey B.
5/20/2016 12:12:35 pm
Suzanne Collins is an American contemporary author who is widely know around the world for The Hunger Games trilogy. She first published The Hunger Games in 2008, then the following two books were published in 2009 and 2010. Suzanne Collins is a contemporary author because she wrote about current topics. Contemporary literature includes any literature that was written after World War ll.She gives us an insite to what the world could be like in a dystopian society. Collins also wrote The Underland Chronicles. The Hunger Games sold over 1.5 million copies just in America and was on the New York Times Best Seller List for more than 60 weeks in a row. Contemporary authors were influenced by what was happening in the world around them. Collins was influenced by her father’s career in the Air Force, and through this she was able to see all of the messed up things in the world at a young age. The literary world has been able to get a different take on the world and how it could be. Suzanne Collins will probably write more books in the future that will continue to change the literary world for years to come.
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Remi T.
5/22/2016 04:20:23 pm
Jay Asher is a contemporary American author who is best known for his young adult novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, which was published in 2007. His only other published work is a novel he co wrote with Carolyn Mackler, The Future of Us, which was published in 2011. Asher is considered to be a contemporary novelist, because both of his books were written after World War II. Contemporary works are often known to be inspired by personal experiences. One of the inspirations for Thirteen Reasons Why, was the attempted suicide of one of his close relatives. Asher felt that talking with her about what led her to take that course of action was eye opening. Contemporary works are also known to address societal problems. Besides bringing up the topic of suicide in Thirteen Reasons Why, he also addresses bullying. After reading Thirteen Reasons Why, many people have written to Asher to tell him that the book convinced them to seek help instead of taking their lives. In the Fall of 2014, he went on an author tour called, 50 States Against Bullying, in which he discussed the issue of bullying with teens across the country. As an author, Asher has contributed a novel that has both won awards and positively influenced many.
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Elise A.
5/29/2016 08:55:09 am
The writer behind some of the most popular young adult fiction books is the one and only, John Green. John Green was born on August 24th, 1977 in Indianapolis, Indiana. John attended Kenyon College and earned a double degree in English and Religious Studies. Some of his notable works are: The Fault in our Stars, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherine's. He has won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, Looking for Alaska, which also stayed on the New York's best sellers list for 7 weeks. Green used an unorthodox and philosophical approach to the novel, which explains controversial issues. In each of his books, Green has brought a refreshing look to the average teenager's life, something only J. D. Salinger, author of The Catcher and The Rye, has been able to do. With intellectual humor and in-depth concepts, his books allow the reader to share their feelings with realistic characters in realistic situations. Each of his books takes place in present time, which is why his books are so relatable to young adults. John Green's matter-of-fact stories are also a pleasant alternative to the popular genre of Fantasy that most teens are reading now days. Green has been known as a revolutionary in the Y/A fiction world for this feat. He brought contemporary, realistic, literary teen fiction into a genre that was mostly known for its fantasy and dystopian societies.
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Emma B.
5/29/2016 01:26:27 pm
The Modernist Period can be described as people dealing with provoking cultural issues in a way that experimented with form and delved into human possibilities. One modern author and poet was Sylvia Plath (1932-1963). Her only novel, The Bell Jar, is loosely based on her life. Set in the wholesome 1950s, it narrates the experiences of Esther Greenwood, an aspiring novelist who has mental health problems. Esther tries to find her place in society, either as a working woman, a traditional stay at home wife, or possibly both. Instead, she finds that she can’t have happiness in those stereotypes because they are superficial. Esther’s sanity declines because of the pull she feels between her desire to write and the pressure she feels to start a family. This work makes Plath a modern author because it emphasizes the restricted role of women, and the neglect of people with mental health issues in this time. The 1950s are remembered as clean-cut and family-oriented, but Plath exposed some very serious obstacles that were glossed over with traditional white picket fences and poodle skirts. What she revealed proved that women and the mentally ill should have a larger and more equal role in society. This puts her into the modern era because she pushed the boundaries for human capabilities and conventions. Today, her work is still studied for its wit and insight into the private thoughts of a woman in the 1950s.
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Andrew McVay
5/29/2016 06:07:08 pm
Langston Hughes was a rising african american poet during the modernist movement. He was a great symbol of the movement using his experiences with african american culture, jazz, and blues to create poems that people of all races can enjoy. He used these styles of music as a basis for the rhythms of his poems. Langston achieved many things during his lifetime including an honorary doctorate from Lincoln university, teaching a one year creative writing class, and The Harmon Gold letter for Literature. What he wrote about was not just the suffering that african americans had gone through but also their love for music and art. A great part of why he succeeded was during the Harlem renascence many people wished to learn about african american culture and he portrayed it in a realistic way for everyone. Besides poetry he is also the author of some novels and plays. Langston took advantage of the rise of black art to showcase his work and get his name known. He is quite possibly the best known african american poet. He also was a very political writer. Many of his pieces focused on the plights that african americans faced. Not only did he describe these but he demanded for basic human rights, and since he was a loved author by people of all races his works reached many open ears. Some of his most famous poems include "Justice", "Still Here", and "Mother To Son." All of these pieces are great examples of the modernist periods as they strive to be unique and unlike anything that had already been written. They also made great contributions to the civil rights movements.
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Sandalee N.
5/29/2016 07:29:17 pm
Ezra Pound was a very controversial literary figure. He was also considered the poet most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist taste in poetry. Pound was considered controversial because of his aesthetic and political views. In an article he wrote called," How I Began," he claimed that as an adolescent, he was determined to "know more about poetry than any man living." His principles were what made him controversial. I think people argued about his poetry because they didn't know they could have the independence to explore the world with a new perspective. That is what I believe Pound had done. Pound had his own style to his writing that maybe no one has ever read before. He had begun to appreciate everything in his own way and created his own set of principles to follow to live a happy and prosperous life. Some may have been afraid to set their own principles and I believe that is why Ezra Pound was a major literary figure.
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Noah H.
5/30/2016 12:00:48 pm
Pendleton Ward is a contemporary writer, and the creator of the popular cartoon tv series Adventure Time. As a cartoonist, his job is to address children, but there is certainly something to be said when a good majority of your audience is over the age of 16. As a contemporary cartoonist, his work has a unique and controversial grasp over a audience. This aspect is what makes his work contemporary, and he does not waste this opportunity. Not only has he written popular works such as Adventure Time(As well as FlapJack), he has also influenced other popular cartoons such as Regular Show and Gravity Falls. One may consider a cartoon story-writer as not a true writer, but I would argue that case considerably. The same depth and work go into making these stories, and though it may not appear to have much on the surface, these shows have incredibly complex story-lines and worlds to be explored. Not only this, but the controversy that surrounds many popular cartoons is arguably even more than that of which surrounds a popular book. He is currently still working with the writers of Adventure time, which continues to be produced on cartoon network today, as well as many online sites. His greatest contributions to the literary world are his effect on his audience. Although the stuff he writes is built around children, it has long lasting and valuable lessons for adults too. When we think about it, though, aren't adults just taller kids?
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Conner E.
5/30/2016 01:23:28 pm
John Grisham is widely known for his books written about lawyers, his fist book published in 1989, A Time to Kill, is what everyone knows him for. Before Grisham was a writer he was an attorney for a couple years. Grisham has contributed to the American modernist and contemporary movement by writing about the struggles of an everyday American, but also putting his own little twist on the story. Grisham's most famous books are, A Time to Kill, The Firm, and Runaway Jury. Now most of his books are for teenagers and adults but he did write a series for kids called Theodor Boone which adults would still like. All these books are modern because he is appealing to people's interests and he is writing about struggles of a certain person that we as readers can relate to. I feel that ever person who reads Grisham's books will like them from the beginning. Even if there is someone that doesn't like other books about lawyers there are books that he writes about baseball and football that are also very good. This is exactly why he has contributed greatly to the literary world today. Grisham's wide variety of books has very much impacted the writing world today and many years to come.
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Grace P.
5/30/2016 01:53:11 pm
Amy Lowell was an American Modernist Poet. She was an early believer to the first verse method of poetry and was successful at it. Her second book published was, “Sword Blades and Poppy Seeds”, which was written in free verse and a style she invented called “polyphonic pose”. Lowell was a promoter of both contemporary and historical poets as well. After World War I, Amy Lowell was forgotten about. The women's movement in the 1970s brought her back though. Lowell was brought back to the light because she wrote about same-sex relationships. Her poems, “Lilacs” and “Patterns”, began to be studied for woman literature. She touched lives who were explicit about their relationships with her pieces. Amy Lowell was an important author to the modernist movement and is still today.
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Ashley P.
5/30/2016 04:37:32 pm
Jeanette Walls is an American author still alive today. Walls has written four books in her lifetime: "The Silver Star", "Half Broke Horses", "Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip", and "The Glass Castle". She started from almost nothing, moving from city to city with little belongings which she explains in her memoir "The Glass Castle". When Jeanette Walls was only two years old, her tutu caught on fire while she was boiling herself some hot dogs, she was thrown out of a car rumbling down the highway and left there, and over the course of her lifetime she was raped several times. Her father was a drunk and her mother didn't care about anyone or anything as much as she cared about herself and her art "career". Walls' parents had a unique vision on how life should be lived. For example, her father believed that hospitals were for pansies and rent didn't need to be paid. They decided after 17 years of her life that they didn't need to live in a house, they could be squatters. Walls brought to our eyes the faces of the homeless from a new point of view. When in a bigger city, one may see a person who is homeless and automatically assume that they are addicted to something too expensive to afford, for example. However, Walls shows us that some in fact choose to be homeless because of the lack of simplicity in the world they lived in. This was a way for them to get rid of complexity by not having to worry about rent money. The story of Walls' uncommon upbringing is a rags to riches type. Once her and her siblings moved themselves to New York City, she was able to obtain an apartment on Park Avenue and hold a job as a journalist. Jeanette Walls is a great author today and will continue to be great through the modernist movement.
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Bobby A.
5/31/2016 08:27:17 am
John Steinbeck was an American author who published sixteen novels. His first novel was published in 1929. The first literary success from Steinbeck came in 1935 with "Tortilla Flat", which described the adventures of many homeless men in post WW1. After this he began a series of books based in California about the Great Depression. These books included "The Grapes of Wrath", "Of Mice and Men", and "In Dubious Battle". These books were modern, because the illustrated the tough times of migrant workers during these times. John Steinbeck was modern by how he strayed from the former institutions of the literary world. His literary impact is greatly felt today. His novel, "Of Mice and Men", is now one of the most read novels in high schools across the country.
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Nicholas S.
5/31/2016 11:39:29 am
Tom Clancy was an American author born in 1947 and later died in 2013. He was most well known for his military fiction books written during the Cold War. Ten books that Clancy wrote made the New York Times bestseller list. Some of which are The Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising, Patriot Games, and Debt of Honor. Four of his books were later turned into major movies and is also has his name on many video games. Clancy was also involved in sports. He owned part of the Baltimore Orioles and also tried to purchase the Minnesota Vikings. Clancy was a great storyteller that wrote for the money and he received a lot of it. President Ronald Reagan was a big fan of Clancy’s books, helping boost the sales. People enjoyed his books because of the detail and how lifelike each story was. Some people disliked his books because of his political views that could be seen throughout his books.
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