Influenced by the events preceding and following the Civil War, literature from this period is less philosophical in nature than the romantic period and more cynical and questioning. This period reflects a concern for the everyday experiences of the common man.

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 Kate Chopin 

The Awakening by Kate Chopin 

 Links

The Awakening  - With this e-text from Project Gutenberg, you'll never "forget" the book again. It's always here!

Kate Chopin: A Re-Awakening- an interesting site from PBS. This is a companion piece to a show about the author. This site has interesting biographical information about Chopin.

Kate Chopin: The Awakening - a fantastic site from Loyola University, the student project gathers an impressive array of resources about the author and the novel.

The 1900 House -  learn about life for women at the turn of the century. This is a companion piece to the PBS program The 1900 House. We'll be watching excerpts from this.

School House Rock's "Sufferin' till Suffrage" - check out the lyrics to this great song about the 19th Amendment. Go to this link for more Schoolhouse Rock. 

The Gentleman's Page - is from the Lively Arts History Association and offers a glimpse into the lives of upper class nineteenth century men.

The Victorian Emporium - a website dedicated to 19th Century Lifestyles where you can learn all about the customs and culture of 19th century life. Parlour game anyone?

Grande Isle - visit the vacation spot featured in The Awakening. 

Living the Legacy: The Women's Rights Movement 1848 - 1998 - a great site with a wealth of information about Women's rights spanning 150 years.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Short Story: "The Story of an Hour" -p. 642

Audio Book/MP3 

Download the MP3 of The Awakening- from Libri-Vox and listen to the novel as you read along with the e-text or your own copy of the novel.

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

 : 

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

by

Mark Twain

 Links 

Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn - from the University of Virginia, this site has the full e-text as well as original illustrations and more.

Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain - Visit this site created by PBS as a companion resource for the Ken Burns film on Mark Twain which we will be watching in class.  

 Mark Twain on Stage -  an interesting site from the University of Virginia with samples of Twain's lectures and live performances. There's even a sample of his voice.

 "Lighting Out for the Territory: Reflections on Mark Twain and American Culture" - an interesting transcript of an interview between David Gergen (for PBS's News Hour) and author Shelley Fisher Fishkin, professor of American studies in English at the University of Texas.

Mark Twain in His Times - from the University of Virginia, this archive contains dozens of e-texts, contemporary reviews, images and much, much more.

Mark Twain Abroad- unique site from the University of California, Berkley which offers information on Twain's travels around the globe.

Mississippi River - click here and learn all about our greatest river.

Wondering where Huck is along the mighty Mississippi? Go to Map Machine from National Geographic.

Here's an "easy on the eyes" map of the Mississippi  from Time. com as well as an interesting "text to world" connection to the novel with the article "Meet the New Huck" by Walter Kirn.

Click here for a map of the Mississippi from Encarta.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpt from Nonfiction: Life on the Mississippi -p. 576

Short Story: “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras Country” –p. 581

Audio Book/MP3 

 Download the MP3 and e-text of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  with this link from LoudLit.org.

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

Ambrose Bierce

 Links 

Ambrose Bierce - from the Keele University School of Humanities: American Studies

Ambrose Bierce- from the University of California/Berkeley

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Short Story: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” -p. 518

Mary Chesnut

 Links  

 Documenting the American South: A Diary from Dixie, as Written by Mary Boykin Chesnut- comprehensive resource from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpt from Diary: "Mary Chesnut’s Civil War" -p. 550

Frederick Douglass

 Links 

Africans in America Resource Bank: Frederick Douglass- an interesting site from PBS

The Frederick Douglass Papers - from the American Memory section of the Library of Congress online.

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpt from Autobiography: "My Bondage and My Freedom" -p. 506

 .

Paul Lawrence Dunbar

 Links  

Paul Lawrence Dunbar- interesting site from the University of Dayton

Paul Lawrence Dunbar- biographical information as well as links to some of his works, from the Academy of American Poets.

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Poem: "Douglass" -p. 652

Poem: “We Wear the Mask” -p. 654 

Stephen Foster (composer)  & George Cooper (lyricist)

 Links 

 Stephen Collins Foster- interesting biographical information from the University of Pittsburgh

I Hear America Singing: Stephen Collins Foster- interesting information from PBS

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Song: "Willie Has Gone to the War" -p. 491

Warren Lee Goss

 Links  

The Soldier's Story by Warren Lee Goss-  from the PDF Library, read excerpts from Goss's experiences as a prisoner of war during our Civil War. 

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpts from Journal: "Recollections of a Private" -p. 554 

Bret Harte

 Links  

 Bret Harte- from the University of Washington, biographical information and links to e-texts. 

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Short Story: “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” -p. 592

Stonewall Jackson

 Links 

Virginia Military Institute: Stonewall Jackson Resources

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Letter: "An Account of the Battle of Bull Run" -p. 558

Robert E. Lee

 Links 

Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial- this National Park Service site will let you explore the memorial and learn more about Lee.

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Letter: "Letter to His Son" -p. 535

Abraham Lincoln

 Links 

 The White House: Abraham Lincoln- interesting biographical information

The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Speech: "The Gettysburg Address" -p. 532

Speech: “Second Inaugural Address” –p. 533

Public Document: “Emancipation Proclamation” –p. 541

Audio Book/MP3 

The Gettysburg Address is available as "literature for your eyes and ears" through LoudLit.org!

Randolph McKim

 Links 

Documenting the American South: Randolph McKim- A Soldier's Recollections: Leaves from the Diary of a Young Confederate with an Oration on the Motives and Aims of the Soldiers of the South- a comprehensive resource from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Excerpt from Diary: "A Confederate Account of the Battle of Gettysburg" -p. 556

Spiritual

 Links 

The American Experience: Jubilee Singers- great resource from PBS

Negro Spirituals-  an interesting site with lots of information about the history of early gospel songs.

Traditional Slave Spirituals- interesting resource from Lewis and Clark College.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Traditional: "Go Down, Moses" -p. 500

Traditional: "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" -p. 498

Sojourner Truth

 Links 

Sojourner Truth Institute - sponsored by the Michigan Humanities Council

A Narrative of Sojourner Truth, A Northern Slave- full etext from the University of Pennsylvania.

Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Letter: "An Account of an Experience with Discrimination" -p. 561

Rev. Henry M. Turner

 Links 

 Prentice Hall Literature: The American Experience - Selected Textbook Resources

Nonfiction: "Reaction to the Emancipation Proclamation" -p. 559

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.