2. 19th_century American Literature 1) Romanticism; 2)Realism; 3)Naturalism 3. American Literature of the 20th century and the
present 1)modernism; 2)postmodernism
— John Updike: “Bitter Bamboo”
What is the implication of Updike’s comment ? Do you agderstanding about American literature and culture at present?
B) Simple, fresh, direct, plain, a touch of nobility
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Periodization of American Literature Key Themes in American Literature
8
Periodization of American Literature
A General Introduction to American Literature
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Discussions
China, experts agree, is the nation of the future […] The commercial and intellectual success its emigrants have enjoyed in nations from Malaysia to the United States all augur (预示) impending global dominance. In literature, however, the Chinese mainland, as far as Western ears go, is pretty quiet. […] Bookstores, the Times reports, are bustling, but nearly half the purchases consist of textbooks and half the translations are of American books.