The Literary Change

Romans 15:4 - For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
By Allison, McKenzie, AND Meredith.

IMITATION TO MATURITY

Jeremiah 30:2 "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.

American writers at first were understandably

dependent on English literature. Because they were isolated from British Authors, poets such as Anne

Bradstreet and Edward Taylor produced poetry

patterned after forms already out of favor in England.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
(Which to me includes books )

The first consciously American literature did not appear until after the Revolutionary War and did not archive its full stature until the Romantic Age.

The earliest American writers wrote about the hardships of their environment, such as the :

Climate
Wilderness Religious Political Issues

DEUTERONOMY 6:9 "YOU SHALL WRITE THEM ON THE DOORPOSTS OF YOUR HOUSE AND ON YOUR GATES.

Writers such as Johnathan Edwards wrote for public instruction.

Near the end of the eighteenth century, writings of authors such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson became almost totally secular and reflected the revolutionary attitudes prevalent in the colonies.

John 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I

am not of this world.

The Changing world view can be seen in the secularization of subject matter.

For example, early Puritan writers used events in nature to teach spiritual lessons, where as later writers tried to explain such events scientifically.

Matthew 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Early American literature can be classified as Puritan and its main purpose was to give instruction for religious improvement. The purpose of eighteenth century

American literature was dictatic rather than religious instruction, and in the early nineteenth century, Benjamin Franklin sought merely to entertain his readers.

Zechariah 14:20 in that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "HOLY TO THE LORD." And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls before the altar.

Puritan writers rejected the ornate style of early seventeenth-century England and adopted instead a plain style which drew attention to the message rather than to the writer. This style was characterized by: clarity Simplicty of word choice and organization, saracity of elaborate figurative expression,
and naturalness.

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden Your Word in my heart.

Secular critics have responded unfavorably to Puritan literature because of its

religious content, its dictatic purpose, and its plain style; however the contribution
of these early writers are encouraging to those readers who share their Christian perspective.