美國文學期末考試復習大綱

美國文學期末考試復習大綱I.文學史AmericanPuritanism(美國請教主義):PuritanismwasareligiousreformmovementthatarosewithintheChurchofEnglandinthelate16thcentury.Background:PuritanismfeaturesofPuritanismPredestination:Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.Originalsin:Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.TotaldepravityLimitedatonement:Onlythe“elect"canbesaved.InfluenceAgroupofgoodqualities一hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Allliteratureisbasedonamyth一gardenofEden.Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan’smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilityoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.Overviewoftheliteraturetypesofwriting:diaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermonswritersofcolonialperiodAnneBradstreetEdwardTaylorRogerWilliamsJohnWoolmanThomasPainePhilipFreneauJonathanEdwardsBenjaminFranklinAmericanEnlightenment(美國啟蒙運動):Enlightenmentisaphilosophicalmovementofthe18thcenturythatemphasizedtheuseofreasontoscrutinizepreviouslyaccepteddoctrinesandtraditionsandthatbroughtaboutmanyhumanitarianreforms.TheAmericanEnlightenmentisatermsometimesemployedtodescribetheintellectualcultureoftheBritishNorthAmericancoloniesandtheearlyUnitedStates(astheybecamefollowingtheAmericanRevolution).Itiscommonlydatedfrom1750—1820.AmongtheleadingintellectualfiguresofthisperiodareThomasJeffersonandJamesMadison.DemocraticOriginsandRevolutionaryWriters,1776一1820Background:AmericanRevolution——historicalEuropeanEnlightenmentBasicAssumptions:Regard—enlightenment"or—education"astheprinciplemeansfordevelopmentofsocietyShowconcernforcivilrights,democracyingovernmentandtoleranceratherthanearlierreligiousmysticismReconsidertherelationshipbetweenman&God.Brief-Deism(naturalreligion)Transcendentalism(超驗主義)：Transcendentalismisliterature,philosophicalandliterarymovementthatflourishedinNewEnglandfromabout1836to1860.ItoriginatedamongasmallgroupofintellectualswhowerereactingagainsttheorthodoxyofCalvinismandtherationalismoftheUnitarianChurch,developinginsteadtheirownfaithcenteringonthedivinityofhumanityandthenaturalworld.TheideasoftranscendentalismweremosteloquentlyexpressedbyRalphWaldoEmersoninsuchessaysasNature(1836)andSelf-relianceandbyHenryDavidThoreauinhisbookWalden(1854).Background:foursourcesUnitarianismFatherhoodofGodBrotherhoodofmenLeadershipofJesusSalvationbycharacter(perfectionofone’scharacter)ContinuedprogressofmankindDivinityofmankindDepravityofmankindRomanticIdealism:Centeroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)Orientalmysticism:Centeroftheworldis“oversoul"Puritanism:EloquentexpressionintranscendentalismAppearance1836,“Nature"byEmersonFeaturesspirit/oversoulimportanceofindividualismnature一symbolofspirit/God;garmentoftheoversoulfocusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)InfluenceItservedasanethicalguidetolifeforayoungnationandbroughtabouttheideathathumancanbeperfectedbynature.Itstressedreligioustolerance,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtraditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“geton"obscuredthemoralnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissance一oneofthemostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature.DarkRomanticismDarkRomanticism&GothicFictionSimilarities:darkness,supernatural,featuringcharactersDifferences:sheerhorror GothicFiction’spurposedarkmystery&skepticismofman DarkRomance’spurposeDarkRomanticism reactionagainsttranscendentalismDarkRomanticismisaliterarysubgenrethatemergedfromthetranscendentalphilosophicalmovementpopularin19thcenturyAmerica.Somewriters,includingPoe,HawthorneandMelville,foundtranscendentalbelieffartoooptimisticandegotisticalandreactedbymodifying.DarkRomanticism&Transcendentalism:DarkRomanticsaremuchlessconfidentaboutthenotionthatperfectionisaninnateequalityofmankind,asbelievedbytranscendentalists.DarkRomanticspresentindividualsaspronetosinandself-destruction,notasinherentlypossessingdivinityandwisdom.Whilebothgroupsbelievenatureisadeepspiritualforce,DarkRomanticismviewsitinamuchmoresinisterlightthandoestranscendentalism,whichseesnatureasadivine&universalorganicmediator.ForDarkRomantics,thenaturalworldisdark,decaying,andmysterious,whenitdoesrevealtruthtoman,itsrevelationsareevil.Transcendentalistsadvocatesocialreformwhenappropriate,worksofDarkRomanticismfrequentlyshowindividuals,fallingintheirattemptstomakechangesforthebetter.Fiction:GeneraltermforinventedstoriesNovel,shortstory,novellas,romance,fableetc.《堂吉訶德》 thefirstnovelofEuropean⑵Typesofnovel:Kunstlerroman成長小說Bildungroman 《麥田守望者》SpynovelHistoricalnovelCampusnovel校園小說GothicnovelEpistolarynovelPicaresquenovelDetectivenovelSociologicalnovelPsychologicalnovelElementsoffiction:Setting(time,place,environment)Plot(selectedevents,cause&effect,structure) onflict(exposition,risingaction/complication,climax,fallingaction,resolution)Character(animal,inanimatethings)Pointofview(firstperson,thirdperson,multiple)Theme(differentfrom“subject")Style(diction,syntax,figureofspeech)Symbol&IronyIL文學概念Allegory(寓言)：Allegoryisastorywithasymbolicmeaningusedtoteachamoralprinciple.Allegoryisaformofextendedmetaphor,inwhichobjects,persons,andactionsinanarrative,areequatedwiththemeaningsthatlieoutsidethenarrativeitself.Theunderlyingmeaninghasmoral,social,religious,orpoliticalsignificance,andcharactersareoftenpersonificationsofabstractideasascharity,greed,orenvy.Thus,anallegoryisastorywithtwomeanings:aliteralmeaningandasymbolicmeaning.ManyofHawthorne'sstoriesareallegoriesdealingwithpride,isolation,loveandbetray.Forexample,YoungGoodmanBrowntellsBrown'sjourneyintheforest.Afterthejourney,Brownchangedalot.InfactthestoryshowsBrown'sstrugglebetweengoodnessandevilandrevealstheprocessesoflosingone'sinnocence.Romance:—Romance"isnowfrequentlyusedasstermtodesignateakindoffictionthatdiffersfromthenovelinbeingmorefreely.Itistheproductoftheauthor'simaginationthantheproductofanefforttorepresenttheactualworldwithverisimilitude.Romanceisaheightened,emotional,andsymbolicformofthenovel.Romancesarenotlovestories,butseriousnovelsthatusespecialtechniquestocommunicatecomplexandsubtlemeanings.NathanielHawthorneisarepresentativeofdarkromance,mostofhisworksrevealsthedarksideofhumanbeings.Lyric(抒情詩)：Inthemodernsense,itisanyfairlyshortpoemexpressingthepersonalmood,feeling,ormeditationofasinglespeaker.Lyricpoetryisthemostextensivecategoryofverse.Lyricsmaybecomposedinalmostanymeterandonalmosteverysubject,althoughthemostusualemotionspresentedarethoseofloveandgrief.Amongthecommonlyricformsarethesonnet,ode,elegy,andthemorepersonalkindsofhymn.Lyricpoetryisgenrethatdoesnotattempttotellastorybutinsteadofamorepersonalnature.Itportraysthepoet'sownfeelings,statesofmind,andperceptions.Whilethegenre'snamederivedfrom'Tyre",impliesthatitisintendedtobesung,muchlyricpoetryismeantpurelyforreading.Themostpopularformforwesternlyricpoetrytotakemaybethe14-linesonnet,aspracticedbyPetrarchandShakespeare.Lyricpoetryshowsabewilderingvarietyofforms,including,increasinglyinthe20thcentury,unrhymedones.Lyricpoetryisthemostcommontypeofpoetry.Allusion:Itisoneofthefiguresofspeech.Anallusionisafigureofspeechthatmakesareferenceto,orrepresentationof,aplace,event,literarywork,myth,orworkofart,eitherdirectlyorbyimplication.Forexample,inliterature,thesnakeoftenrepresentstheevil.IfsanallusionofBible.InBible,thesnakealluredEvetoeattheapple.Thus,theywerepunishedbyGod.Trickster:Tricksteralwaysappearsinmythology,it’sakindofliterarycharacter.Inmythology,andinthestudyoffolkloreandreligion,atricksterisagod,goddess,spirit,man,woman,oranthropomorphicanimalwhoplaystricksorotherwisedisobeysnormalrulesandconventionalbehavior.Tricksteristhe“rebellion"thatchallengesauthority.Thetricksterisaveryimportantarchetypeinthehistoryofhumankind.Heisthe“wisefool".Itishe,throughhiscreationsthatdestroytheauthority.Heexiststoquestionandtocauseustoquestion.HeistheDestroyeroftheworldandatthesametimetheSaviorofusall.Forexample,RobinHood,heisathief,whostealstherichtohelpthepoor.Ononehand,athiefissupposedtobepunished,butonanotherhand,hestealsthemoneynotforhimselfbuttohelpothers.Thus,wecallhimatrickster.GothicFiction:Gothicfictionrisesinthelateof18thcentury.TheGothicrelatestheindividualtotheinfiniteuniverse.Gothicliteraturepicturesthehumanconditionasanambiguousmixtureofgoodandevilpowerthatcannotbeunderstoodcompletelybyhumanreason.TheGothicnovelorshortstoryisanystorywhichcanbedescribeasdark,mysterious,andgrotesque.AGothicstoryoftenhassupernaturalelementsthatgiveitahintofhorror/terror.Gothicfictionisoftenpsychological(fromthevillain’sperspective)Ithasromanticelements:thedamselindistress,theghostofaloverCreatessuspense:neversurewhatisgoingtohappenItadoptstheuseofdoppelgangertheme.ThemostfamiliarGothicfictiontomeisTheVampireDiaries.SimilartotheTwilight,ittellsalovestorybetweentheVampireandahumanbeing.Therearemanyterrorsceneswithsuspenseandadoppelgangerinthestory.NowTheVampireDiariesismadeintoTVseries.IntheTVseries,avampirecalledDamonismyfavoriteone.KunstlerromanQuest:—quest"meanssearch,pursue,goonadventure.TheQuestmyth/Queststory,similartoRomanceisagenreofliterature.Thebackground,suchasanimbalancedsociety,isoftenchallenging.Theheroleavesthesociety.Hisgoalsarealwaysnoble.Heisalwaysonthesideofgoodness,andhisenemiesarealwaysevil.Theheromustundergoestrials:physicaltests—slayingadragon,battlingpowerfulopponents,rescuingmaidensindistressetc.Havingcompletedhisquest,theheroreturnstosocietytobringaboutspiritualtransformationandrestoretheperfecthumancommunity.TheCaptainAhabinMobyDickisaheroofquestbutnotatraditionalone,heisavillainherowhotriestoconquerthenature.IambicPentameter:PointofView(視角)：Itistherelationshipofthestorytellerornarrator,tothestory.Astoryhasafirst-personpointofviewifoneofthecharacters,referredtoas'T',tellsthestory.Astoryhasalimitedthird-personpointofviewifthenarratorrevealsthethoughtsofonlyonecharacterbutreferstothatcharacteras“he"or“she".Anarratorwhotellsthethoughtsofallthecharactersandwhotellsthingsthatnoonecharactercouldknowusestheomniscient(all-knowing),orthird-person,pointofview.Forexample,inMobyDick,Melvilleadoptedthefirst-personnarrator,Ishmaelwastheobserverwhosawtheeventsofthestoryandplayedsminorroleintheaction.m重要作家及作品NathanialHawthorne(納撒尼爾?霍桑)lifeworksTwocollectionsofshortstories:Twice-toldTales,MossesfromandOldManseTheScarletLetterTheHouseoftheSevenGablesTheMarbleFaunpointofviewEvilisatthecoreofhumanlife,'thatblacknessinHawthorne"Wheneverthereissin,thereispunishment.Sinorevilcanbepassedfromgenerationtogeneration(causality).Heisoftheopinionthatevileducates.Hehasdisgustinscience.aesthetic美.學的ideasHetookagreatinterestinhistoryandantiquity.Tohimthesefurnishthesoilonwhichhismindgrowstofruition.HewasconvincedthatromancewasthepredestinedformofAmericannarrative.Totellthetruthandsatirizeandyetnottooffend:ThatwaswhatHawthornehadinmindtoachieve.style—typicalromanticwritertheuseofsymbolsrevelationofcharacters7psychologytheuseofsupernaturalmixedwiththeactualhisstoriesareparable(parableinform)一toteachalessonuseofambiguitytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertainty一multiplepointofviewTheScarletLettef,adultery)Aboutthestory:ThestoryofHesterPrynneSet:the17thcenturyWhatissituatedimmediatelyoutsidethedooroftheprisoninwhichHesteriskept:ArosebushHowdoesHestersupportherselffinancially:asaseamstressShealwayswears:blackA"represents:adulteryMajorcharactersinthestory:HesterPrynne:wearsA";A"definesheridentityArthurDimmesdale:wearsA"inhisheart;hissoulneverinpeace(invisiblewearer)RogerChillingworth:themakerofscarletletterPearl:theproduct/resultofA"Symbolism:(specialmovementinliterature;theuseofsymbols)InTheScarletLetter":Therosebush:passionTheforest:anungovernableplaceThescarletletter:adultery;sinPearl:wildness;passionThemeteor:communityRefusetotakeoffA”:ForHester,toremovescarletletterwouldbetoacknowledgethepowerithasindeterminingwhosheisSheisdeterminedtotransformitsmeaningandheridentityShewantstobetheonewhocontrolsitsmeaningShestandsasaself-appointedreminderoftheevilssocietycancommitYoungGoodmanBrownPsychologicalinterpretation SigmundFreud(thefounderofpsychology):superego consciousness theprincipleofmorality超我ego subconsciousness theprincipleofreality自我id unconsciousness theprincipleofpleasure本我Brown’sjourneyispsychologicalaswellasphysical:Village,aplaceoflightandorder Forest,aplaceofdarknessandwildnessconsciousness unconsciousnessvillage superego FaithBrown egoforest id SatanHawthornesawthedangersofanoveractivesuppressionoflibidoandtheconsequentdevelopmentoftyrannoussuperego.Men,Women,andthelossofFaith:Despitetheliterarysexismofhisday,Hawthorneportrayswomenaspowerfulmoralagents.AlthoughFaithisnotathree-dimensionalcharacter,thestorycentersonherhusband’srejectionofher.Womenarevictimized.Women angleinthehouse donothavedesires,rightsandneedsFallenwomen prostitutes,witches,andmadwomenFaithtoBrownisfemalesexuality;SatantoBrownispatriarchalauthorityFemaleimages:Innocentsvs.Temptresses:Governor'swife,GoodyCloyse,prostitutes,maidens,witches,Quakerwomen,FaithSexisseenasalluringanddangerousBrownisanemptyandfailedhusbandandfatherHermanMelville(赫爾曼麥爾維爾)lifeworksTypee《泰皮》Omio《毆穆》Mardi《瑪?shù)亍稲edburn《雷德本》WhiteJacket《白外衣》MobyDickPierre《皮埃爾》BillyBudd《比利?巴德》pointofviewHeneverseemsabletosayanaffirmativeyestolife:Hisistheattitudeof—EverlastingNay"(negativeattitudetowardslife).Oneofthemajorthemesofhisisalienation(farawayfromeachother).Otherthemes:loneliness,suicidalindividualism(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath),rejectionandquest,confrontationofinnocenceandevil,doubtsoverthecomforting19cideaofprogressstyleLikeHawthorne,Melvillemanagestoachievetheeffectofambiguitythroughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarratives.Hetendstowriteperiodicchapters.Hisrichrhythmicalproseandhispoeticpowerhavebeenprofuselycommenteduponandpraised.Hisworksaresymbolicandmetaphorical.Heincludesmanynon-narrativechaptersoffactualbackgroundordescriptionofwhatgoesonboardtheshiporontheroute(MobyDick)MobyDick《白鯨》：Moby-Dick,oftenconsideredthegreatestAmericannovel,isamasterpiecewithmanylayers.Itisaseaadventure,anexcitingchaseafteradestructiveandmysteriouscreature.TheenormouswhitewhaleMoby-DicktormentsCaptainAhab,whoisobsessedwithfindingandkillingMoby-Dick,havinglostaleginapreviousencounterwiththewhale,andAhab’sburningdesireforrevengereallyisthecenterofthestory.Atthenovel’send,AhabfindsandattacksMoby-Dick,buttheterriblewhaletakesAhab,hisshipPequod,andnearlyallitscrewdowntoawaterygravewithhim.AnencyclopediaofeverythingAShakespeareantragedyofmanfightingagainstfates(extremeindividualism)Imageofship:shipontheseaisthehumansoulsearchthemeaningintheuniverse.Purpose noble:hethinkMobyDickasanevilHero:heisaherobutnotatraditionalhero(hedoesnotstandforgoodness);avillainheroByronichero(createbyByron):mad,bad,dangeroustoknow,obsessive rebellions:challengetheauthority;unconventional;rightthewrongSatanic:revengeful;rebellious;thefightbetweenGod&SatanThePequod asymbolofdoom(namedafteranativeAmericantribeinMassachusetts;didnotlongsurvivedofwhitemen(extincted);ispaintedgloomyblackandcoveredinwhaleteethandbones)Thesailorsareofdifferentethics allpeopleinAmerican(individual)Queequeg’sCoffin lifeboat;lifeThemeofMobyDick:Melville'sbleakview(negativeattitude)thesenseoffutilityandmeaninglessnessoftheworld.Hisattitudetolifeis—EverlastingNay".Maninthisuniverselivesameaninglessandfutility.TheadventureofkillingMobyDickismeaningless.Ahabtriestocontrolit,whichleadstohisdoom.Modernlife thelossoffaith,thesenseoffutility wellexpressedinMobyDickAlienation(farawayfromeachother):existsbetweenman&man,man&society,andman&nature.Lonelinessandsuicidalindividualism thebasicpatternof19thcenturyAmericanlife(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath) MobyDickisanegativereflectionuponTranscendentalism.Rejectionandquest:VoyagingforIshmaelhasbecomeajourneyinquestofknowledgeandvaluesHenryDavidThoreaulifeworksAWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRiverWaldenAPleaforJohnBrown(anessay)pointofviewHedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.“Simplicity...simplify!''Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety".Hehascalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.WaldenEdgarAllenPoeLifeWorksshortstoriesratiocinativestoriesMsFoundinaBottleTheMurdersintheRueMorgueThePurloinedLetterRevenge,deathandrebirthTheFalloftheHouseofUsherLigeiaTheMasqueoftheRedDeathLiterarytheoryThePhilosophyofCompositionThePoeticPrincipleReviewofHawthorne'sTwice-toldTalesThemesdeath一predominantthemeinPoe'swriting“Poeisnotinterestedinanythingalive.EverythinginPoe'swritingsisdead."disintegration(separation)oflifehorrornegativethoughtsofscienceAestheticideasTheshortstoriesshouldbeofbrevity,totality,singleeffect,compressionandfinality.Thepoemsshouldbeshort,andtheaimshouldbebeauty,thetonemelancholy.Poemsshouldnotbeofmoralizing.Hecallsforpurepoetryandstressesrhythm.Style一traditional,butnoteasytoreadReputation:“thejingleman"(Emerson)HisinfluencesWaltWhitmanlifework:LeavesofGrass(9editions)SongofMyselfThereWasaChildWentForthCrossingBrooklynFerryDemocraticVistasPassagetoIndiaOutoftheCradleEndlesslyRockingthemes一—CatalogueofAmericanandEuropeanthought"HehadbeeninfluencedbymanyAmericanandEuropeanthoughts:enlightenment,idealism,transcendentalism,science,evolutionideas,westernfrontierspirits,Jefferson'sindividualism,CivilWarUnionism,Orientalism.Majorthemesinhispoems(almosteverything):equalityofthingsandbeingsdivinityofeverythingimmanenceofGoddemocracyevolutionofcosmosmultiplicityofnatureself-reliantspiritdeath,beautyofdeathexpansionofAmericabrotherhoodandsocialsolidarity(unityofnationsintheworld)pursuitofloveandhappinessstyle:—freeverse"nofixedrhymeorschemeparallelism,arhythmofthoughtphoneticrecurrencethehabitofusingsnapshotstheuseofacertainpronoun'T'alooserandmoreopen-endedsyntacticstructureuseofconventionalimagestrongtendencytouseoralEnglishvocabulary一powerful,colourful,rarelyusedwordsofforeignorigins,someevenwrongsentences一cataloguetechnique:longlistofnames,longpoemlinesinfluenceHisbestworkhasbecomepartofthecommonpropertyofWesternculture.HetookoverWhitman’svisionofthepoet-prophetandpoet-teacherandrecastitinamoresophisticatedandEuropeanizedmood.HehasbeencomparedtoamountaininAmericanliteraryhistory.ContemporaryAmericanpoetry,whateverschoolorform,bearswitnesstohisgreatinfluence.RalphWaldoEmerson(拉爾夫?華爾多?愛默生)life(Americanphilosopher,poetandessayist;themosteloquentspokesmanofNewEnglandTranscendentalism)worksNature hisfirstbookexpressingthemainprincipleofTranscendentalism.Itisregardedas“American'sDeclarationofIntellectualIndependence"Twoessays:TheAmericanScholar,ThePoetpointofviewOnemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul".Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,andadvocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,hecanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect.ThisiswhatEmersonmeansby'theinfinitudeofman".Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemakestheworldbymakinghimself.aestheticideasHeisacompleteman,aneternalman.Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.hisinfluenceWashingtonIrvingseveralnamesattachedtoIrvingfirstAmericanwriterthemessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworldfatherofAmericanliteraturelifeworksAHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndoftheDutchDynastyTheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent,(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbusAChronicleoftheConquestofGranadaTheAlhambraLiterarycareer:twoparts1809?1832SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropeanConservativelovefortheantique1832~1859:backtoUSstyle-beautifulgentility,urbanity,pleasantnessavoidingmoralizing-amusingandentertainingenvelopingstoriesinanatmospherevividandtruecharactershumour-smilingwhilereadingmusicallanguageJamesFenimoreCooperlife(—fatherofAmericannovelists";thecreationofthewestfrontieranditsheroes)worksPrecaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairiepointofviewThethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.law,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrightsstylehighlyimaginativegoodatinventingtalesgoodatlandscapedescriptionconservative