„I, Too, Sing America“: Students' Essays on 20th Century American Literature

This collection of essays comprises a selection of papers written by students of English Language and Literature who attended the Survey of American Literature II (20th century) course in the year 2014/2015 at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Osijek. Writing an essay for the class was a requirement, and the students were free to choose their own topic. The purpose of the assignment was to present and elaborate prevailing motifs and problems in 20th century American literature, such as the pursuit of happiness, existential crisis, race, class, and sexuality. The first part is titled “THE AMERICAN DREAM” and deals with the American ideal, or rather, criticizes the idea that material wealth can indeed provide happiness. The second part of the collection is titled “SOCIAL CRITICISM” and includes six essays dealing with American society and providing a critique from the aspects of the Beat Generation, modernist and postmodernist criticism, and works such as Beloved, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, or A Raisin in the Sun. The third part is titled “AFRICAN AMERICAN LITERATURE” and includes three essays that consider the problems of race, identity, and values of African Americans in 20th century America. The fourth part titled “IDENTITY ISSUES” deals with problems such as questioning our own identity and existence, and disillusionment with the traditional concept of an ideal character or hero. The fifth part of the collection titled “GENDER ISSUES” consists of five essays that discuss the concepts of masculinity and femininity.

Godina izdanja: 2016.
ISBN pdf izdanja: ISBN 978-953-314-329-3