Understanding the Essay: Characteristics and Literary Style
As Ortega y Gasset stated, an essay is a ‘scientific dissertation without explicit proof.’ The term ‘scientifically’ refers to the purpose of reflecting deeply and methodically about reality. Unlike other genres through specialized study, the essay prioritizes personal and self-reflection, waiving rigor and completeness (without explicit proof), with the purpose of making the reader think and suggest new ideas.
Others have defined it as a study being presented with humility, without definitive conclusions,
Read MoreRealism, Naturalism, Modernism & Generation of ’98
European Realism and Naturalism
In the mid-nineteenth century, a new literary movement began to dominate: Realism. Realism focuses on the accurate observation of contemporary reality. As a result, the predominant genre is the novel. The realistic novel aspires to become a credible and accurate document of the society of the time. Realism originated in France.
Around 1870, a related movement emerged that took realistic principles to an extreme: Naturalism. Naturalism seeks to uncover the causes of
Read MoreKey Concepts in Literary Modernism and Postmodernism
Why James and Conrad are Fathers of Modernism
Henry James and Joseph Conrad are considered the “fathers” of experimental modernism, first of all, because both saw the novel as art. That is, it must be as well-organized as a picture, where form and content are integrated. In addition to this, their interest in psychology was also very modern, as they started to use a character narrator to tell a story from his perspective and not from an omniscient narrator.
James, Reality, and the Omniscient Narrator
James
Read MoreDominican & Latin American Literature 1980-2000
Literary Competition
Cultural Characteristics (1980-2000)
In recent years, there has been an increase in the publication of novels in our country.
Dominican Novelists (1980-2000)
Some prominent Dominican novelists who emerged during this period include:
- Martha Rivera
- Tomas Modesto Galan Avelino Stanley
- Rita Indiana Hernández
- Carmen Imbert Cabral
Common Novel Types (1980-2000)
Existential and social policy novels are the most common types produced by Dominican authors during this period.
General Characteristics
Read MoreBritish Authors of the 1950s: Larkin, Selvon, Golding & More
British Authors of the 1950s
Philip Larkin
Born in Coventry and educated in Oxford, Philip Larkin was initially influenced by Yeats and Thomas Hardy. He became a dominant figure of “The Movement,” whose work was seen as a counteraction between Modernism and the influence of Dylan Thomas.
Key Works:
- Next Please (1954)
- The Trees (1967)
Sam Selvon
Sam Selvon, a “criollo” from Trinidad, was a Caribbean writer. He worked for the BBC and was known as a talented writer with a peaceful life. He eventually moved
Read MoreReceived Pronunciation: History and Status
Evolution of Received Pronunciation (RP)
Received Pronunciation (RP) is a form of pronunciation of British English which has long been perceived as prestigious amongst British accents. RP is often believed to be based on Southern accents, but in fact, it has most in common with the dialects of the South-East Midlands: Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Huntingdonshire.
Historical Development of RP
By the end of the 15th century, “Standard English” was established in the City of London. How did
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