Postwar Writing and Literary Landmarks

1865-1900’s

By:Karim Sanchez

Mayra Lara

Noemy Rodriguez

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

• Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts to a very successful family.

• Dickinson was very reclusive and spent her time writing poems and lyrics in her room. Most of her poems and lyrics are life long diaries of her deepest wonderings.

• She wrote 1,775 lyrics.• She became one of the most outstanding

American poets of the 19th century and became one of the founders of American Poetry along with Walt Whitman.

-Dickinson wrote more than 1,000 poems and became famous after her death and her poems were published

- During her lifetime,only 7 of her poems were published, 2 without her consent.

Emily Dickinson

“Victory Comes Late” By Emily Dickinson

Victory comes late, And is held low to freezing lips

Too rapt with frost To take it.

How sweet it would have tasted, Just a drop!

Was God so economical? His table's spread too high for us

Unless we dine on tip-toe. Crumbs fit such little mouths,

Cherries suit robins; The eagle's golden breakfast

Strangles them. God keeps his oath to sparrows,

Who of little love Know how to starve!

Mark Twain (1835-1910)

• Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens.• Mark Twain coined the term “The Gilded Age”. He

used this term to display that times looked good, yet if you scratched a bit below the surface, you would be able to see the problems.

• Gained his fame with “Celebrated jumping frog of Calvarias County” which was printed out in the New York newspaper.

• First book published was “ The innocence abroad” 1869

• Second book was “The adventures of Tom Sawyer” 1876

• Third book was “ The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin” 1885

• Wrote 28 books and numerous short stories, letters and sketches.

• There were some newspapers that said Chas. Dudley Warner wrote the gilded age but twain put his name to sell more copies of the book.

Mark Twain

Mark Twain (Continued)

• First book published was “ The innocence abroad” 1869• Second book was “The adventures of Tom Sawyer” 1876• Third book was “ The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin”

1885• Wrote 28 books and numerous short stories, letters and

sketches.• There were some newspapers that said Chas. Dudley

Warner wrote the gilded age but twain put his name to sell more copies of the book.

“Those Annual Bills” by Mark Twain

• These annual bills! these annual bills! How many a song their discord trillsOf "truck" consumed, enjoyed, forgot,Since I was skinned by last year's lot!

Those joyous beans are passed away;Those onions blithe, O where are they?

Once loved, lost, mourned--now vexing ILLSYour shades troop back in annual bills!

And so 'twill be when I'm agroundThese yearly duns will still go round,While other bards, with frantic quills,

Shall damn and damn these annual bills!

Henry Adams 1838-1918Henry Adams 1838-1918 Unlike his ancestors presidents Unlike his ancestors presidents

John Adams and John Quincy John Adams and John Quincy Adams, Henry wasn’t involved in Adams, Henry wasn’t involved in politics as much as in writing.politics as much as in writing.

American author, historian, and American author, historian, and critic is most famous for his critic is most famous for his memoir memoir The Education of Henry The Education of Henry Adams.(1918)Adams.(1918)

Attended Harvard and was a Attended Harvard and was a contributor to Harvard contributor to Harvard magazine. magazine.

Wrote many books in people Wrote many books in people involved in politics throughout involved in politics throughout the previous year and was a the previous year and was a teacher of American and teacher of American and European history.European history.

Memoirs of Marau Taaroa, Last Memoirs of Marau Taaroa, Last Queen of TahitiQueen of Tahiti(1893) (1893)

Ulysses S. Grant was one of Ulysses S. Grant was one of Adams favorite target to Adams favorite target to criticize.criticize.

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."

““Quotes”Quotes” ““A friend in power is a friend lost.”A friend in power is a friend lost.” ““Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the

dream of man” dream of man” ““Friends are born, not made”Friends are born, not made” ““It is always good men who do the most harm in It is always good men who do the most harm in

the world “the world “ ““It is impossible to underrate human intelligence - It is impossible to underrate human intelligence -

beginning with one's own”beginning with one's own” ““Morality is a private and costly luxury “Morality is a private and costly luxury “ ““No man likes to have his intelligence or good No man likes to have his intelligence or good

faith questioned, especially if he has doubts faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself “about it himself “

Charles W. Chesnutt(1858-Charles W. Chesnutt(1858-1932)1932)

► Parents were mulattoes.Parents were mulattoes.► Went to Howard school in Went to Howard school in

Georgia.Georgia.► Was a teacher and then a Was a teacher and then a

principal in charlotte N.C principal in charlotte N.C and Spartanburg S.C.and Spartanburg S.C.

► Studied law.Studied law.► ““The Goophered grapevine” The Goophered grapevine”

brought him attention of brought him attention of nation.(1887)nation.(1887)

► The House Behind The The House Behind The CedarsCedars (1900) (1900)

► Almost all of his stories Almost all of his stories showed the controversy of showed the controversy of being black but so light that being black but so light that they could pass for a white they could pass for a white man. man.

Paul Laurence Dunbar(1872-Paul Laurence Dunbar(1872-1906)1906)

Parents were former slaves.Parents were former slaves. First African American writer to attain First African American writer to attain

widespread fame for his literary widespread fame for his literary activities.activities.

Know for his Dialect Poetry.Know for his Dialect Poetry. Was from Ohio.Was from Ohio. Published four novels.Published four novels. Dunbar was prolific (overachieving and Dunbar was prolific (overachieving and

high quality), writing short stories, high quality), writing short stories, novels, librettos, plays, songs and novels, librettos, plays, songs and essays as well as the poetry for which essays as well as the poetry for which he became well known. He was he became well known. He was popular with black and white readers popular with black and white readers of his day.of his day.

His poems and works were based on His poems and works were based on the fact of how his race was treated the fact of how his race was treated and discriminated against.and discriminated against.

Was the only black in his high school, Was the only black in his high school, had a hard time finding a job because had a hard time finding a job because of his color and of people taking him of his color and of people taking him seriously.seriously.

He published some of his early poems He published some of his early poems locally only selling them for a dollar.locally only selling them for a dollar.

Encouraged

Because you love me I have much achieved,

Had you despised me then I must have failed,

But since I knew you trusted and believed,

I could not disappoint you and so prevailed.

-Paul Laurence Dunbar