Emily Dickinson crafted phenomenal poetry and led an interesting life, albeit a quiet one. Her poems, such as “Faith” and “Much Madness is Divinest Sense” give credence to her ability to craft verse, and her body of work is more than exceptional in the face of modern literary studies. Nevertheless, the mark of a good artist is someone whose art is worth talking about and someone whose life is worth discussing (e.g. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Stein). This is regardless of their interest in abstaining from the broader culture. For today’s post, we will examine Dickinson’s life and a few of her achievements.
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Maya Angelou, author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
Maya Angelou had many experiences in life are both damaging and uplifting. She endured great trauma and hardship only to persevere in the end. She has also contributed to literary history with her engaging, heart-wrenching stories. Similarly, her verse about the Black American experience has been transformative. In this post, we will look at her life and times and how these difficulties shaped her history.
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Neoclassical Literature Explained: Swift, Pope, and Their Impact
What is neoclassical literature, and who wrote during this time?
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Daniel Defoe: Progenitor of the Modern Novel
Daniel Defoe is recognized as one of England’s first novelists. And, rightfully so, because to his credit, he wrote one of the most influential books ever penned. He also wasn’t afraid to shy away from controversy with his political leanings. Both long and short confrontational and epic pieces worked for Defoe.
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Emulation and Immersion: Key to Writing Voice
As a short story and novel dabbler, I often wonder how my voice can come through in some sections of a story and then totally fall flat in others. Am I not being true to myself? Am I not tapping into the muse? Are the writing gods forsaking me? What other myths can I use to convince myself there is an easy track to developing my own voice as a writer? For this post, I am going to look at what is typically recommended for writers to develop a distinctive writing voice.
Continue reading Emulation and Immersion: Key to Writing VoiceDeveloping a Writing Voice through Emulation and Immersion
As a short story and novel dabbler, I often wonder how my voice can come through in some sections of a story and then totally fall flat in others. Am I not being true to myself? Am I not tapping into the muse? Are the writing gods forsaking me? What other myths can I use to convince myself there is an easy track to developing my own voice as a writer? For this post, I am going to look at what is typically recommended for writers to develop a distinctive writing voice.
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Myth vs Legend vs Tall Tale: What Sets Them Apart?
Zeus, The Headless Horseman, Paul Bunyan, and Bigfoot all share some commonalities. Clearly, there are supernatural and fantastical elements in each of their stories, but how do myths, legends, and tall tales differ? And, how can we distinguish between them? It becomes much easier to understand these differences if you consider the context and typical usage of each term. In this post we will understand how each of these terms share similarities and differences.
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Censorship in Satire: The Impact of the Theatrical Licensing Act
In modern times, censorship for satirical lampooning is still in existence, from politicians to moguls and oligarchs. This was still the case in the 1700s, when playwrights were looking to put verbal and visual daggers into powerful leaders they did not agree with or leaders they found hypocritical. Those leaders did not respond with the same kind of tongue-in-cheek humor. Thus, the Theatrical Licensing Act of 1737 came into play to silence these irritating voices.
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Voices of Change: The Harlem Renaissance
It is hard to imagine the pain and sorrow a marginalized group of Americans must have felt emerging from the slavery of the South. Their palatable hope of Northern emancipation dissolved into similar racism and ostracism, too. But, from the ashes the phoenix does rise. In this post, we are going to talk about an important artistic movement known as The Harlem Renaissance. This movement pushed Black voices into the spotlight, and highlighted their artistic endeavors, from music to writing.
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Ralph Ellison: From Invisible Man to Iconic Writer
Ralph Ellison won the National Book Award in 1952 for the only novel he ever published. That novel was “The Invisible Man.” His book told a story about a black man in America. The main character feels invisible to American society because of the color of his skin. It’s a timely tale that rang true when it was published and rings true in the era of Black Lives Matter.
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