Why should we learn about North American literature?

American literature is important for people's education since it reveals the country's culture and history.
Furthermore, studying American literature in another country allows foreigners to gain a deeper
understanding of American culture, history, and great works by great authors.

Understanding society requires studying American literature. By evaluating the writing in any culture,
society can only improve as a result of this research. American literature has produced some of the
world's most important prose and poetry.

What are the common literary themes of North America?

The American Dream

 In 1931, a best-selling novel named Epic of America originated the term "American dream."
 James Truslow Adams described it as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and
richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement."
 A variety of things assisted the American dream, giving the United States a competitive
advantage over other countries.
 Homeownership and education are frequently cited as ways of achieving the American dream.
 Though the definition of the American Dream has changed to mean different things to different
generations, it's undoubtedly part of the American ethos, and likely always will be.
Examples: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck,
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Loss of Innocence

 An event or period in a person's life that causes them to become more conscious of evil, pain,
and/or suffering in the world around them.
 common theme in fiction, pop culture, and realism
Examples: The Catcher in the Rye, A Farewell to Arms, and Lord of the Flies,

Coming of Age

 The coming-of-age narrative is defined by most scholars as following the development of a child
or teenager into maturity.
 The bildungsroman, or "formation novel," is where this story's origins can be found.
 This type of story usually has a youthful protagonist.
 This story's popularity lasted well into the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, as
evidenced by critically acclaimed works.
Examples: To Kill a Mockingbird, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, We the Animals
Alienation and Isolation

 emotional isolation or dissociation from others

 Characters are constantly alienated and isolated from society.
Examples: The Scarlet Letter, The Minister’s Black Veil

Survival of the Fittest

 famous phrase of philosopher Herbert Spencer

 in nature, there is competition to survive and reproduce
 It's a metaphor, just like the phrases "fight for existence" and "natural selection," both of which
Charles Darwin used.
Examples: The Call of the Wild