The Influence of American Puritanism on Early American Literature

The Influence of American Puritanism on Early American Literature In the year of 1960, with the arrival of the Mayflower, the puritans encountered untold difficulties and dangers finally reached their dream land. They looked upon themselves as the God’s chosen people, and sought for a new Garden of Eden to build the City of God on Earth. It is their creeds that hard work, thrift, piety and sobriety that inspired them to go through the hardships and hold on to their American dream. It is the values that influence generations of the puritans fight for a city upon a hill. It is also the doctrines that dominated much of the early American writings. It is one of the most enduring shaping influences in American thought and American literature.

Firstly, the spirit of optimism bustles out of the pages of many

American authors. American literature is based on a myth especially the biblical myth of the Garden of Eden. They dreamed to build an orderly world and lead ideal life there. Stimulated by the faith, they overcome the difficulties and the optimistic was reflected in every corner of their life as well as in the literature. In the early works, many authors created the image of American as Adam reborn, who were pure and sincere and firmly hold the hope of the brilliant future.

Secondly, Symbolism as a technique has become a common practice in the writing of many American authors. In the view of the puritans, the world is nothing but the symbol of the God. Every

phenomenon in real life is the indication of the God’s intention. So the symbolism has gradually become the essentially traditional culture and the special perception to observe and portray the world.

Thirdly, simplicity has left an indelible imprint on American writing. The puritans valued thrift and sobriety, wishing to restore simplicity to church services and the authority of the Bible. Under this atmosphere, it is little wonder that literature in simplicity style ---- fresh, simple and direct was welcomed by readers.

In addition, the sobriety in the Puritanism, to a certain degree,

fettered the development of the literature. Puritan opposition to pleasure and arts sometimes has been exaggerated. Their lives were disciplined and hard, and tended to suspect joy and laughter as symptoms of sin. Therefore, there was little room for drama and novel’s development.