Topic 1. Modern trends in English and American literature

 

READING

Study the following words and phrases.

essence – суть

to make a remarkable part of – составить значительную часть

to tackle problems – решать проблемы

to strengthen the position – укрепить позицию

a peculiar attitude to – особое отношение к

national - liberation movement – национально-освободительное движение

to strike a severe blow to – нанести серьезный удар по

interference into internal affairs – вмешательство во внутренние дела

to have a great impact on – оказать большое влияние на

to introduce new themes into the novel – вводить новые темы в роман

 

2. Read and translate the text [54].

The picture of English and American literature in the 20th century is varied.

The social novel is presented by Charles Snow, the writer, scientist, politician. He wrote quite a lot of novels: the series about scientists, professors of Cambridge university. His most famous novel is “Corridors of Power”. The title is often used to denote government, state power.

The social themes made a remarkable part of American literature in the 1920-40s. The names of Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, John Steinbeck, Robert Penn Warren are known to the reading public.

fraternity

The so-called anti-colonial novel tackles two main problems: the national-liberation movement of colonial countries and moral problems of those whose families for generations worked to strengthen the position of the British Empire (Rudyard Kipling, Basil Davidson).

A peculiar attitude to this problem is presented by Graham Green, one of the most outstanding writers of Great Britain. In his well-known book “The Quiet American” G. Green showed the role of the USA in the war conflict in Vietnam. The most severe blow to the colonial system was struck by G. Green’s book “The Comedians”, where he described the interference of the US, into the internal affairs of smaller countries. 

G. Green did not restrict himself with only one theme of the relations between colonies and the British Empire. He made a great contribution into the development of philosophical novel, his main theme is the essence of human life. Other representatives of philosophical novel are W. Collins, W. Golding, A. Murdoch. The satirical trend is represented by Muriel Spark, Evelyn Waugh and Kurt Vonnegut.

Without doubt, the greatest events of the 20th century were the first and the second world wars that had a great impact on all spheres of life all over the world.

The authors who wrote about the World War I are known as “the lost generation”. These are Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Dos Passos, Richard Aldington.

The events and the moral impact of World War II were depicted by such American writers as Norman Mailer and John Styron.

In the 1950-60-s the group of British writers, named by critics as “Angry young men”, introduced new themes into the novel and the theatre. The leader of Angry Young Men was John Osborne, whose play “Look back in Anger” (1956) was seen as a revolution in English drama. Other representatives of this group were Kingsley Amis, Alan Sillitoe, John Wain, etc.

The Theater of the Absurd is led by Samuel Beckett, the Irish-born dramatist and novelist. In 1969 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. His most famous play is “Waiting for Godot” which influenced post-modernist writers Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard.

A special place is occupied by anti-utopia. The most famous novels of this genre belong to Aldous Huxley and George Orwell.

 

Answer the questions about the text.

1. What are the main directions in the literature of the XX century?

2. What spheres was Charles Snow famous in?

3. What writers tackled social themes in American literature?

4. Why was anti-colonial theme especially significant for English literature?

5. What were the main themes of Graham Green?

6. Who wrote philosophical novels?

7. What writers were called “the lost generation”?

8. What writers depicted the events of World War II?

9. Who belonged to the group “Angry young men”?

10. Who was the main representative of the Theater of the Absurd?

 

Think of synonyms or explanation of the following words and phrases.

Essence, remarkable, tackle, strengthen, attitude, peculiar, impact, introduce, contribution, strike a blow, be awarded, restrict.