American Literature

American literature has many defining characteristics and has produced some of the most lauded works and authors in the world, including Mark Twain and Kurt Vonnegut. Those who major in American literature are well aware of these facts and more, as they delve into reading copious amounts of quality literature penned by American authors. They learn to analyze these works and see how they relate to the author’s own life and upbringing and to the American social scene. For example, some works shed insight into race issues within America, while others indicate the social movement of anti-war mentalities or drive for female empowerment. Literature majors look over everything, from novels to plays to poetry, in order to gain a better understanding of the country’s literary identity. American literature majors take classes in short fiction, poetry, children’s literature, religion and its role in literature, modern American literature, Southern literature, and literary criticism.

Those who have a love for words, reading, and books would be a good fit for the American literature major. These majors are like cultural anthropologists looking to analyze American histories through its written words. Majors typically go on to work as instructors teaching other students about American literature either on a high school or collegiate level. Some may also find work in libraries or as writers for literary societies and magazines.