The United States of America can rightfully be proud of the literary heritage that the best American writers have left. Beautiful works continue to be created and now, however, modern books for the most part are fiction and mass literature that do not carry any food for thought.
The best recognized and unrecognized American writers
Critics still argue whether fiction benefits a person. Someone says that it develops the imagination and sense of grammar, and also broadens the horizons, and individual works can even change the worldview. Someone believes that only scientific literature containing practical or factual information is suitable for reading, which can be used in everyday life and developed not spiritually or morally, but materially and functionally. Therefore, American writers write in a huge number of different directions - the literary "market" of America is as great as its cinema and pop scene are diverse.
Howard Phillips Lovecraft: the master of this nightmare
Since the American people are fond of everything bright and unusual, the literary world of Howard Phillips Lovecraft turned out to be just to their taste. It was Lovecraft who presented the world with stories about the mythical deity Cthulhu, who millions of years ago fell asleep at the bottom of the ocean and wakes up only when the time comes for the apocalypse. Lovecraft has acquired a huge fan base around the world, and names are given in his honor to groups, songs, albums, books and films. The incredible world created by the Master of Horrors in his works does not cease to scare even the most avid and experienced horror lovers. Lovecraft's talent was inspired by Stephen King himself. Lovecraft created an entire pantheon of gods and frightened the world with terrible prophecies. Reading his works, the reader feels a completely inexplicable, incomprehensible and very powerful fear, although the author almost never directly describes what should be feared. The writer makes the reader’s imagination work in such a way that he himself presents the most terrible pictures, and from this the blood literally freezes in his veins. Despite the highest writing skills and recognizable style, many American writers were unrecognized during his lifetime, and Howard Lovecraft was among them.
Beastmaster - Stephen King
Inspired by the worlds created by Lovecraft, Stephen King created a lot of great works, many of which were filmed. Such American writers as Douglas Clegg, Jeffrey Diver and many others worshiped his skill. Stephen King still does, although he has repeatedly admitted that unpleasant supernatural things often happened to him because of his works. One of his most famous books with the short but loud title “It” excited millions. Critics complain that it’s almost impossible to convey the horror of his works in film adaptations, but brave directors still try to do this. King’s books such as The Dark Tower, Essentials, Carrie, and Dreamcatcher are very popular. Stephen King is able not only to create a pumping, tense atmosphere, but also offers the reader a lot of completely disgusting and detailed descriptions of dissected bodies and other not too pleasant things.
Classic fiction by Harry Harrison
The American science fiction writer Harry Harrison is still very popular in fairly wide circles. His style is light and his language is straightforward and understandable, and these qualities of his works make them suitable for readers of almost any age. The plot of Harrison is extremely interesting, and the characters are original and interesting, so everyone can find a book to their liking. One of Harrison's most famous books, The Indomitable Planet, boasts a twisted plot, characteristic characters, good humor, and even a beautiful romantic line. This American science fiction writer made people think about why too much technological progress is fraught with, and whether we really need travel through outer space, if we still cannot control ourselves and our own planet. Harrison showed how science fiction can be created that will be understood by both children and adults.
Max Barry and his books for a progressive consumer
Many modern American writers rely on the consumer nature of man. On the shelves of bookstores today you can find a lot of fiction, telling about the adventures of fashionable and stylish heroes in the field of marketing, advertising and other big business. However, among these books you can find real pearls. The work of Max Barry is so high for modern authors that only truly original writers can jump over it. His novel “Syrup” focuses on the story of a young man named Skat, who dreams of making a brilliant career in advertising. The ironic style, apt use of a strong word and amazing psychological pictures of the characters made the book a bestseller. “Syrup” acquired its own adaptation, which did not become as popular as the book, but practically did not yield to it in quality, since Max Barry himself helped screenwriters to work on the film.
Robert Heinlein: a fierce critic of public relations
There is still debate about which writers can be considered modern. Critics believe that Robert Heinlein can also be attributed to their category , because modern American writers should write in a language that would be understandable to today's person and would be interesting to him. Heinlein coped with this task one hundred percent. His satirical and philosophical novel “Passing the Valley of the Shadow of Death” shows all the problems of our society, using a very original plot technique. The main character is an elderly man whose brain was transplanted into the body of his young and very beautiful secretary. A lot of time in the novel is devoted to topics of free love, gay and lawlessness in the name of money. We can say that the book “Passing the Valley of the Shadow of Death” is a very tough, but at the same time extremely talented satire, exposing modern American society.
Susan Collins and food for hungry young minds
American classic writers were most concentrated on philosophical, significant issues and directly on the design of their works, and further demand was almost not interesting to them. In modern literature, published after 2000, it is difficult to find something truly deep and original, since all the topics have already been talentedly revealed by the classics. This is seen in the books of the Hunger Games series by the young writer Susan Collins. Many thoughtful readers doubt that these books deserve at least some attention, since they are nothing more than a parody of real literature. First of all, the Hunger Games series, aimed at young readers, is attracted by the theme of the love triangle, which is shaded by the pre-war state of the country and the general atmosphere of brutal totalitarianism. Films of Susan Collins novels hit the box office at the box office, and the actors who played the leading characters in them became famous throughout the world. Skeptics about this book say that it would be better for young people to read at least that than not to read at all.
Frank Norris and his heartache for ordinary people
Some well-known American writers are practically unfamiliar to any reader far from the classical literary world. This can be said, for example, about the work of Frank Norris, who was not prevented from creating an amazing work "Octopus". The realities of this work are far from the interests of a Russian person, but Norris's unique writing style invariably attracts lovers of good literature. Thinking about American farmers, we always present smiling, happy and tanned people with expressions of gratitude and humility on their faces. Frank Norris showed the real life of these people without embellishing it. In the novel "Octopus" there is no hint of the spirit of American chauvinism. American writers of the 20th century loved to talk about the lives of ordinary people, and Norris was no exception. It seems that the issue of social injustice and insufficient pay for hard work will worry people of all nationalities at any historical time.
Francis Fitzgerald and his reprimand for the good-for-nothing Americans
The great American writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald gained "second popularity" after the recent film adaptation of his magnificent novel The Great Gatsby. The film made the youth read out the classics of American literature, and the leading actor Leonardo DiCaprio was predicted by the Oscars, but he, as always, did not receive it. The Great Gatsby is a very small novel that vividly illustrates the perverted American morality, masterfully displaying a cheap human gut. The novel teaches that friends cannot be bought, just as love cannot be bought. The protagonist of the novel, narrator Nick Carraway, describes the whole situation from his point of view, which gives the whole plot a piquancy and a little ambiguity. All the characters are very original and perfectly illustrate not only the American society of that time, but also our current realities, since people will never stop hunting for material wealth, despising the depth of the soul.
Both poet and prose writer
America's poets and writers have always been strikingly versatile. If today authors can create only prose or only poetry, then before such a preference was considered almost a bad taste. For example, the aforementioned Howard Phillite Lovecraft, in addition to the terrifying eerie tales, also wrote poetry. It is especially interesting that his poems were much brighter and more positive than prose, although they provide no less food for thought. Lovecraft's mastermind, Edgar Allan Poe, also created magnificent poems. Unlike Lovecraft, Poe did it much more often and much better, so some of his poems are heard today. The poems of Edgar Allan Poe contained not only stunning metaphors and mystical allegories, but also had philosophical implications. Who knows, perhaps the modern master of the genre of horror Stephen King, too, will sooner or later hit poetry, tired of complex sentences.
Theodore Dreiser and The American Tragedy
The life of ordinary people and the rich was described by many classical authors: Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Bernard Shaw, O'Henry. The American writer Theodore Dreiser also went this way, placing more emphasis on the psychology of the characters than directly on the description of everyday problems. His novel "American Tragedy" perfectly presented the world with a vivid example of the American dream, which collapses due to the wrong moral choice and vanity of the protagonist. Strange as it may seem, the reader does not penetrate sympathy for this character, because only a real villain who does nothing but contempt and hatred can violate all the moral principles of society so indifferently. In this guy, Theodor Dreiser embodied those people who want at all costs to break out of the shackles of a society contrary to them. However, is it really so good for high society that you can kill an innocent person for it?