Concluding Thoughts - Essay Example

Online Forum Posting Part I: Synthesizing all the6 readings/films you’ve completed over the last eight weeks, describe a unifying thread joining all or most of these works. (This could be a theme, message, tone, literary style, etc.).   The films and readings that have been presented in class for the duration that the session has been providing a broad perspective over which a number of issues can be drawn. Though illustrated from different setups, one thing that the narratives have in common is that they give an understanding into the lives of people, who have gone through conflicting situations in their lives (Joyce 3).

The individuals for whom their stories are told have compelling yet touching stories (Murakami 1). Some of the individuals in the stories made a significant impact in trying to change the thoughts and perceptions about the societies they came from initially.“Santha Rama Raus obituary" is the text of a woman who tried to tell the real story of her people contrary to what people thought (Weber 1). In an obituary, Raus story does not contradict her background and the impact she has made to the society.

The most important thing about the readings is that they give an insight into other peoples lives and the impact they have made (Xun 1). Part II: How does contemporary writing (the new releases you see in bookstores or the NY Times Bestseller List) in America seem to represent an American “voice” of the 21st century?   Contemporary writing in America in the modern dispensation gives a picture of the events and issues inherent in the society. The American society is rich in various cultural issues that provide a broad basis over which a number of issues can be drawn.

The literatures produced in America in the modern times offers other people make a comparative analysis over other issues that happen in different parts of the world. The aim of the contemporary texts is to tell the American story based on what is happening in the different parts of the society, be it on gender, politics, governance andforeign relations. Part III: Speaking of American authors, if we were to spend a week on North America, writers from the USA, what authors would you all vote to be included and why?

The USA has had many influential writers who can be voted to be considered under this review. Mark Twain comes as the most influential writer hailing from Florida, Missouri. His classic novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” ranks fourth as one of the greatest works of the nineteenth century, as voted by contemporary authors (Popova, “The Greatest Books of All Time”). Robert Frost’s influence is of great significance in the field of poetry. He hails from San Francisco and has won the Pulitzer Prize four times and hence his inclusion.

Emily Dickson is undeniably one of the greatest fecund poets hailing from Massachusetts, USA. She wrote over 1,800 poems with some of her works being found in her bedroom right after her death. Her passion for poetry comes as the ground for her inclusion (Curtis, “Americas Most Influential Authors”). Herman Melville is also an influential whose inclusion is imperative. Actually, his epic “Moby-Dick” ranks seventh as one of the top works of the ninenenth century (Popova, “The Greatest Books of All Time”).

North America is mainly represented by these authors.Works Cited:Curtis, Antony. “Americas Most Influential Authors”. University of North Carolina at Pembroke Website, 2013. Web. 27 October 2014. Available at: < http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/Courses/ResourcesForCourses/InfluentialAmericanAuthors.html> Joyce, J. The Dead. The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dubliners. Available at: < http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2814/pg2814.txt> Murakami, M. Town of Cats. The New Yorker. Available at: < http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/09/05/town-of-cats?

currentPage=all> Popova, Maria. “The Greatest Books of All Time, As Voted by 125 Famous Authors” .Brain Pickings, 2012, January 30. Web. 27 October, 2014. Available at: Weber, B. Santha Rama Rau, Who Wrote of India’s Landscape and Psyche, Dies at 86. Santha Rama Raus obituary. Available at: < http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/arts/24ramarau.html?_r=1&> Xun, L. Medicine. Selected Stories of Lu Hsun, Published by Foreign Languages Press, Peking. 1919. Available at: < http://www.marxists.

org/archive/lu- xun/1918/04/x01.htm>.Xun, L. Mad Mans Diary. Selected Stories of Lu Hsun, Published by Foreign Languages Press, Peking. 1918. Available at: < http://www.marxists.org/archive/lu- xun/1918/04/x01.htm>