Literary works not only depict the world around us, but also shows how we view the world. Living in a certain historical period or experiencing a significant events shapes the way we think, and as the result, reflect in what we write.

For instance, at 1820s, after the Revolutionary period, the United States was in an early stage of forming its idea. Romanticism had a great influence on the residents of the United States and created the identity of being an American. As a result, Romanticism was the first truly American literary movement, which celebrated individualism, association with nature, and finding the a unique American voice within the writing. The most significant element of the Romantic literature is the power of nature, the literary works at this period tend to portray how powerful nature is, and How small humans are in the face of nature. We can tell a literature is Romantic, by noticing These essential elements: Folklore, the Gothic Romance, Emotion of horror, and Nature. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, written by Washington Irving, is a great example of Romanticism. In “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, the force of nature is extremely powerful and irresistible that human beings can not dominate it. Ichabod Crane, the main character of this story, who has a disrespectful attitude towards nature, is also unable to resist its powerful forces. When Ichabod first arrives at the Sleepy Hollow, the spectacular splendor of the landscape changes into a region full of danger. At night, the Sleepy is a haunted place for Ichabod, he will be frightened by anything to do with nature, even a harmless bird. In the story: “Ichabod gave Gunpowder half a score of kicks in his starveling ribs, and attempted to dash briskly across the bridge; but instead of starting forward, the perverse old animal only plunged to the opposite side of the road into a thicket of brambles.” when Ichabold thought he had seen a headless man, a figure of Gothic Romance, he became extremely nervous. At the end of the story, Ichabod disappear from the Sleepy, without trace.

In 1861, as the Civil War begin, the literary work shift from Romanticism to Realism. the literature works at that period, Instead of describing the beauty of nature, turned to journalistic style of writing. The literature of Realism aimed to provide a more honest and realistic views of social events. William Dean Howell’s “The Midnight Platoon” is a good example of Realism literature. The protagonist of “The Midnight Platoon” witness a group of people standing in the winter street waiting for “the midnight dole of bread which must in some cases be their only meal from the last midnight to the next midnight”. the protagonist is curious about those people who stand in the winter street waiting for bread and wants to getting out and watched their behavior as they took their bread and coffee. Though his observation of those people, he suddenly realized that “he stood to these men for all the ease and safety that they could never, never hope to know”, and he no longer thought of getting out and watching their behavior as they took their bread and coffee. He would have liked to excuse that thought, and protest that he was ashamed of it.

Shifted to 1920s, within this time period, the World War I, the Great Depression, and the Great Migration of the United State, are all associating with the literary works of Modernism. “Of Mice and Men”, written by John Steinbeck, is an example of literature at this period. The setting of “Of Mice and Men” is in the time of The Great Depression, it describe the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, who move from place to place in order to search for job opportunities. This novel explores themes of pursuit of the American Dream and the friendship between George and Lennie. George, who is small and thin, and Lennie, who is a substantial size but struggle with mental disability, are dreaming to own a piece of land together. However, their dream shattered by an accident, that Lennie cause the death of Curley’s wife, by accidentally breaks her neck when petting her hair. At the end of the story, George has to shoot his friend Lennie in the back of his head. We can say that “ Of Mice and Men” is and Modernist literature because it contain these following characteristics of literary works in that period of time: the feeling of despair, instability of the society, and meaninglessness of social value. The significant event of The Great Depression deeply affect Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and men”, George and Lennie are the epitome of the common people in that era. Steinbeck’s writing focus on the How difficult it is to achieve the American Dream and the despair of not achieving it.

In conclusion, American literature serves as a dynamic response to its period and significant events by reflecting, critiquing, and interpreting the social, cultural, political, and economic landscape of the United States. Throughout its rich history, American literature has evolved alongside pivotal moments and movements, shaping and being shaped by the nation's identity and values.