Question

1. what is the american literary canon?

• canon: a collection or list of books considered ______ or accepted as ______.
• the works of a particular ________ (example: the shakespearean canon).
• list of works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest ________.

1. what makes the american literary canon?

works in the canon typically:

• demonstrate exceptional ______ merit and artistic ______
• capture distinctive american ______, ______, or perspectives
• influence subsequent ________ or literary movements
• reflect critical ________ moments and cultural shifts
• explore ________ themes through an american lens
• challenge or redefine american ________

note: the canon has expanded to include more ________ voices that better represent americas multifaceted identity.

1. key authors in the american literary canon

colonial & revolutionary period (1607 - 1828)

• benjamin ________: autobiography, poor richard’s almanack
• thomas ________: declaration of independence, notes on the state of virginia
• phillis ________: first published african american poet, “on being brought from africa to america”
• washington ________: “rip van winkle,” “the legend of sleepy hollow”

1. key authors: romanticism & transcendentalism (1828 - 1865)

• nathaniel ________: the scarlet letter, the house of the seven gables
• herman ________: moby - dick, “bartleby, the scrivener”
• walt ________: leaves of grass, “song of myself”
• emily ________: “because i could not stop for death,” “i heard a fly buzz—when i died”
• edgar allan ________: “the raven,” “the fall of the house of usher,” “the tell - tale heart”

Explanation:

Question 4

• For the first blank in "Canon: A collection or list of books considered ____ or accepted as ____", the common definition of a literary canon involves books considered "authoritative" or "genuine" (or "important", "classic" etc., but "authoritative" and "genuine" fit well in the context of a canon's definition).
• For "The works of a particular ______ (example: The Shakespearean canon)", the answer is "author" since the Shakespearean canon refers to Shakespeare's works.
• For "List of works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest ______", the answer is "quality" (or "merit", "excellence") as the canon includes works of the highest literary quality.

• "Demonstrate exceptional ____ merit and artistic ____": The first blank is "literary" (since we're talking about literary works) and the second is "value" (or "excellence", "achievement") as works in the canon have artistic value.
• "Capture distinctive American ____, ____, or perspectives": These blanks can be "experiences", "cultures" (or "identities", "histories") as American literature captures American experiences and cultural aspects.
• "Influence subsequent ______ or literary movements": The answer is "writers" (or "authors", "literature") as canonical works influence later writers.
• "Reflect critical ______ moments and cultural shifts": The answer is "historical" as literature reflects historical moments.
• "Explore ______ themes through an American lens": The answer is "universal" (or "enduring", "human") as good literature explores universal themes with a local (American) perspective.
• "Challenge or redefine American ______": The answer is "identity" (or "culture", "values") as canonical works often challenge American identity notions.
• "Note: The canon has expanded to include more ______ voices that better represent America's multifaceted identity": The answer is "diverse" (since the canon now includes more diverse voices like minority, ethnic, etc., to represent America better).

• "Benjamin ______: Autobiography, Poor Richard’s Almanack" – Benjamin Franklin is the author of these works.
• "Thomas ______: Declaration of Independence, Notes on the State of Virginia" – Thomas Jefferson wrote these.
• "Phillis ______: First published African American poet, “On Being Brought from Africa to America”" – Phillis Wheatley is the first published African American poet.
• "Washington ______: “Rip Van Winkle,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”" – Washington Irving is the author of these stories.

Answer:

• Canon: A collection or list of books considered \textbf{authoritative} or accepted as \textbf{genuine}.
• The works of a particular \textbf{author} (example: The Shakespearean canon).
• List of works considered to be permanently established as being of the highest \textbf{quality}.

Question 5