Writers in this literary period tended to see humans as the “hapless victims of immutable natural laws” (The American Experience). They were also influenced by the industrial revolution. 

Click here to download a short research activity which also offers you an opportunity to pass course competency # 2.

In this period, all junior English classes will explore one or more literary works by Jack London.

Jack London

 Links

The Jack London Collection - a great site with lots of links from the University of California-Berkeley.

Jack London - his life and books - an interesting site from the Jack London State Historic Park in California.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Story: "To Build a Fire" -p. 620

Audio Book/MP3 

London's short story, "To Build a Fire", is available as "literature for your eyes and ears" through LoudLit.org! 

We may also explore one or more of the following literary works available as a hardcopy text:

My Antonia

by

Willa Cather

 : 

 Links 

Willa Cather - an interesting site from Harvard University with quotations, biography and much more.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Short Story: "A Wagner Matineé" -p. 670  

We will also explore some of these authors and their works:

Miriam Davis Colt

 Links  

Went to Kansas; Being a Thrilling Account of an Ill-Fated Expedition to That Fairy Land, and its Sad Results; Together with a Sketch of the Life of the Author and How the World Goes with Her by Mrs. Miriam Davis Colt - the full e-text from the Kansas Collection created by a retired professor of the University of Kansas.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpt from Diary: "Heading West" -p. 608

Stephen Crane

 Links 

The Stephen Crane Society - nice resource from the University of Washington

Perspectives in American Literature: Stephen Crane- a great research source from California State University

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Short Story: "An Episode of War" -p. 486

 .

Chief Joseph

 Links  

 New Perspectives on The West: Chief Joseph - great resource from PBS

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Speech: “I Will Fight No More Forever” -p. 614

John Wesley Powell

 Links  

 Major John Wesley Powell - biographical information from the John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum. 

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Nonfiction: "The Most Sublime Spectacle on Earth" -p. 301

Ezra Pound

 Links  

  Ezra Pound- from the Academy of American Poets, biographical information as well as links to some of his works.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Essay: "A Few Don’ts" -p. 727

 Poem: "The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter" -p. 730

 Poem: "In a Station of the Metro" -p. 732

Carl Sandburg

 Links

  Carl Sandburg: Chicago Poems - read the full e-text of Sandburg's Chicago poems here.

Carl Sandburg - biographical information and e-texts from the Academy of American Poets.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Poem: "Chicago" -p. 840

 Poem: "Grass" -p. 842

Audio Book/MP3 

 Carl Sandburg at Librivox- this link will lead you to all the Sandburg works available as MP3 files at Librivox.

Overall "Text to World" & "Text to Text" Connections for this Literary Period

American Masters: The American Novel Literary Timeline- a great site from PBS, this link offers lots of information on the various movements, periods, novels and authors of American literature.

American Memory Timeline - from the Learning Page at The Library of Congress, this link will help you connect American history to American literature.

Work Cited

The American Experience. New Jersey.  Prentice Hall Literature, 1991.