Cultural Encounters/Identity Flashcards
What was the american dream?
The appeal of US for immigrants as possibility to become landowners, gain power(suffrage), religious freedom
What was the significance of Frederick Turner’s speech at Colombian world fair in 1893?
It influenced the concept of a frontier.
He argued that the frontier experience developed american values - the american is a european who has stepped into the wilderness and come into contact with natives, and being able to control/conquer is what has made them american. Civilising agent, manifesting destiny. Chosen by God for expansion.
Andrew Wigot
Argued that each encounter between native americans and european colonisers was unique, and ‘classic american literature’ focuses only on New England
Annette Kolodny
Argued that within concept of american identity race and ethnicity should be part, not fetishised.
Wanted to revise idea of ‘first encounter’ - evidence of viking ships reaching us centuries before. Prefers term of Borderland.
What is the concept of borderlands?
A) Administrative area - waiting to go through and be checked
B) a cultural contact and conflict zone - the land around area too
Development of creole and pidgin too
William Spengemann
American literature cannot be contained within its linguistic roots - Americans have written in many languages, all of which (barring indigenous ones) transcend the physical and political borderies of US
Randolph Bourne: Transnational America
Published in 1916
Most challenging rethinking of melting pot produced by any 20th century writer
Argued that assimilation/melting pot metaphor would lead to bland, tasteless uniformity
-In response to new immigration and policies
Envisaged a nation of immigrants who could ‘retain the distinctiveness of their cultures’ and therefore be more valuable to society and each other.
Freedom
If freedom means to do as you please - the immigrant has found freedom
If freedom means a democratic cooperation in establishing the ideals and purposes and institutions of a country - the immigrant is not free.
Rejection
To keep both cultures distinct and seperate, no contact.
Integration
To adapt to a new culture, whilst retaining aspects of your native culture.
Assimilation
To let go of individual culture in order to take on new dominant culture
Acculturation
2 cultures come into contact and there is balance between them where each adapt to one another, even though one may be viewed as superior or dominant.8
Border vs Frontier
Border - come into contact
Frontier there is element of conflict
What was American literary history shaped by?
Conceptions of what constitutes a frontier and the redefinition of encounters between NA and colonizers
