"Literature is a product of its time period."

Professor Brady did a lesson giving the students a timeline showing the 5 main types of literature and where they fit in human history.  She said, “literature is a product of its time period,” and this quote couldn’t have been more fitting. In the early 1800’s we covered romanticism and it was a period of emotion over reason. Next was transcendentalism in the mid 1800’s. This period was part of the romantic era but focused on human nature. Realism began toward the end of the 1800’s to the beginning of the 1900’s. This is based on social and political change in literature. This time period was also during the Civil War and post war so authors thought they needed to have a voice for the change. Next and my favorite is modernism. In my schooling, I’ve also found modern pieces of literature the most interesting. It encompasses the pursuit of the American Dream and individualism. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a great example of a modern piece. Lastly is the post-modern era. This is my era; this is the literature coming out now and is so broad in range. This era covers fantasy, another favorite of mine, and shows off inner thoughts of many characters in experiencing trouble; for example Sammy in John Updike's A&P. John Updike is considered a post modern genius! He gets into the mind of his characters and understands that some days, people just need a break. I think over the years, literature has had to adapt to the social changes to stay interesting and relevant. This is why Brady’s quote, “literature is a product of its time period,” makes so much sense.

I think literature is priceless and everlasting. A novel or a story might not be on the New York Times Best Seller list but that doesn’t mean it didn’t touch someone and make him or her think. I’ve read several books that my friends haven’t even heard of yet I still find myself thinking back to them because something stuck out. I focus on modernism and post-modernism because both are the most real to me. They make me think about my dreams, my fantasies and make me decide what I want to do with my life.