Historical and Cultural Connections – Modernism and Social Context

American Modernism included a reaction against the institutionalism of art. In other words, modern philosophers believed that art should be a part of life for everybody and not just those who visit museums or theaters. Just as they were touched by European influences, so too were American writers influenced by folk cultures from Africa and the Caribbean. The period between 1914 and 1945 was one of great social and economic upheaval in which all Americans struggled to reclaim a sense of belonging and happiness. In this topic, you will explore those emotional and economic struggles among the working class of the 1920s and 1930s from Florida to California, as depicted in the works of Zora Neale Hurston and John Steinbeck. You will explore how setting and social context contribute to both characterization and theme in Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God or John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men.

Both novels were published in 1937. The 1930s was a decade much like the present day in the sense that recent global conflict and economic uncertainty had delayed or destroyed the American Dream for many people. In this topic, you will take a look at the conflicts, values, and questions faced by Americans during the Great Depression and discover the elements of Modernism in American literature.

Essential Questions

• How does the American Dream evolve with the advent of the Modern age?
  
• What are the main elements of the Modernist movement?