The difference between English Literature and American

Literature

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 The difference between English Literature and American Literature

Table Of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3

THE TERM.....................................................................................................................................4

HISTORY........................................................................................................................................4

WRITERS........................................................................................................................................5

NARRATION..................................................................................................................................5

GRAMMAR....................................................................................................................................6

SUBJECT MATTER.......................................................................................................................7

REALISTIC.....................................................................................................................................7

MORALS.........................................................................................................................................7

MODERNITY.................................................................................................................................8

STYLE GENRES & TOPICS:........................................................................................................8

CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9

REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

INTRODUCTION

English literature is the writing of English-speaking people, while American literature is the

writing that takes place in America—a country in North America. It can be argued that the two

kinds of literature are very similar because they both speak about similar themes, but there are

some differences that set them apart. English literature and American literature share many

similarities, but they also have a few key differences.

English Literature is a term that refers to the literature written in English, and it can be used to

differentiate between literature from different countries. For example, American Literature is a

specific subset of English Literature, which refers to the literature written by authors who are

considered to be American. English literature reflects this long history of change. The earliest

written works in English date back to the 9th century A.D., but most were not preserved until

much later because they were handwritten on fragile parchment made from animal skins

(parchment). The earliest surviving works include Beowulf and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

English Literature is the literature of England, including all works written in the English

language. It is sometimes called "British literature", though this term can also refer to the English

language as a whole. The language has been influenced by other languages, particularly Latin

and French, and many words with Greek or Latin roots have entered the language.

English literature is often divided into periods, such as the medieval period, the early modern

period, and the modern period. Although some writers of literature in England have been

considered great worldwide literary figures, it was only after World War II that British authors

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

began to be widely read outside Britain. In modern times, English-language authors have

achieved significant international success at the expense of their American counterparts.

American Literature is not synonymous with American culture; it is not defined by a single text

or even a single author. There are several distinct strands within American Literature: Native

American Literature; African American Literature; Ethnic American Literature; Western

American Literature; Eastern American Literature; Southern American Literature; etc...

The main differences between English literature and American literature are as follows:

THE TERM

The term "English Literature" refers to literary works produced in England, such as novels,

plays, poems, and short stories. These works are often considered to be more sophisticated than

those produced by American authors. It refers to the body of written works produced in the

English language. It also includes literary works from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and

other countries where English is spoken. The term "American Literature" refers to literary works

produced in America, such as novels, plays, poems, and short stories.

HISTORY

One of the biggest differences between English literature and American literature is history.

There are several major historical events that play a role in both literatures, but these events have

been interpreted differently by each culture. For example, England was involved in World War I

and World War II while America stayed out of both conflicts; however, America did get

involved in Vietnam and Iraq wars after it became independent from England.

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

English literature is written in England and has been for hundreds of years. It is the tradition of

writing in the English language, with its own style, grammar, and punctuation. American

literature is written in the United States and has been since the beginning of America as a

country. It's written in English, but it's influenced by other cultures as well.

WRITERS

The writers of these two works of literature also differ greatly from one another; for example,

Shakespeare wrote many plays that still inspire modern authors today like William Golding

(Lord of the Flies). However, some writers like Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer) were more popular

during their time period due to advances in technology such as printing presses making it easier

for. English literature tends to be more formal than American literature. It also tends to be more

conservative than American literature, which can be more liberal or progressive.

NARRATION

In English literature, the narrator is often omniscient and all-knowing; in American literature, the

narrator can be either omniscient or limited (to one character or perspective). The main

difference between English literature and American literature is that English literature tends to be

more literary, while American literature tends to be more popular. This means that English

literature is written by authors who are less likely to be known by the general public, while

American literature often centers around popular characters or stories (for example, the Harry

Potter series). English literature also tends to focus on themes that are universal in nature and

appeal to readers across different cultures and geographic regions. While there are plenty of

exceptions, this is generally what we'll find when you compare the two types of writing.

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

American writers tend to focus on individualism, while English writers tend to focus on

community.

GRAMMAR

US writers tend to simplify the English language by removing letters from words: they write

“color” instead of “colour” or “neighbor” instead of “neighbour.” Concerning irregular verbs,

Americans simplify again. Disregard the rules; they form Past Simple Tense by adding –ed. In

British English, the suffix –t is added. Americans use the end –iz rather than –is: “capitalize”

instead of “capitalise” or “summarize” instead of “summarise.”

English literature uses long-winded phrases and words, whereas American literature uses short,

choppy sentences. These linguistic choices reflect not only American literature but their way of

living. The tendency to shorten or abbreviate words is common in the American style. Also,

writers, especially modern ones, tend to simplify the language.

A singular conjugation is used in American literature, while British creators mostly pair up

collective nouns with plural verbs. This should be taken into account when writing for different

audiences.

American writers use irregular verbs more often than their English counterparts do; this gives

their writing a unique flavor that is not present in English writing.

Irregular verbs are common in English but rarer in American English; therefore, if you're writing

an essay on English literature or American literature and want to sound natural, use regular verbs

instead of irregular ones!

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

English grammar tends to be more conservative than American grammar—for example, they

tend not use contractions in formal writing (I'm not instead of I'm not).

SUBJECT MATTER

English literature is written in British English while American literature is written in American

English. In the fields of literature and history, American literature refers to the body of literary

work produced in the United States. It can be divided into periods and genres, with its earliest

works dating back to the 17th century. In contrast, English literature mainly reflects English

culture and English mannerisms. In addition, it also reflects society's values and beliefs.

REALISTIC

American literature is more realistic than British literature. It involves very detailed descriptions

of the setting and characters, which makes it seem like it's happening in real life. For example, in

the novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," by Mark Twain, the author describes how Tom and

his friend Huck Finn play with their friends for hours on end. In addition to this, he also

describes how Tom's aunt washes his clothes because she doesn't want him to get dirty again.

This shows that American literature is more realistic than British literature. On the other hand,

British literature tends to use metaphors more often than American literature does. For instance,

in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," Mark Twain, uses many metaphors throughout his

book such as when he describes a river as being "as still as death" or when he compares the night

sky to be "like a sheet of blue marble."

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

MORALS

English literature has a moral lesson that is presented at the end of the story, while American

literature does not always have a moral lesson or message.

In both forms of literature, there are morals but they're expressed differently. In American

literature it seems like there aren't many morals expressed at all; this could be because

Americans tend to put more emphasis on freedom than any other country does so they don't feel

like they need any.

MODERNITY

English literature focuses on the present day, whereas American literature looks back at the past.

The English language is considered classic. In American literature, English is more modern.

Americans adopted the English language for their literature. However, there are certain

differences in grammar.

STYLE GENRES & TOPICS:

English Literature is often concerned with class politics; American Literature tends to focus on

racial politics or environmental issues instead. The difference between English literature and

American literature is based on the fact that England is an island nation with a diverse population

and a unique history compared to other countries in Europe. In addition to this, English literature

has been influenced by other cultures like those from Spain or France; however, it was not

directly influenced by any one of these countries like America has been influenced by other

nations such as China or India.

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

American literature has been influenced by several cultures throughout history including those

from China or India just as it has been influenced by European nations like Spain or France;

however, unlike England, it was never directly influenced by any one of these countries as

England was during its early years when it began trading with Spain during medieval times

before discovering America centuries later during its colonial period when they started trading

with France while colonizing North America with Great Britain's.

CONCLUSION

The term English literature refers to literary works written and published in Great Britain and

British colonies while American literature refers to literary works written and published in

America. English Literature primarily reflects British culture, while American Literature

primarily reflects American culture. The main difference between English Literature and

American Literature is that the former is typically written by British authors, while the latter is

written by American authors.

English literature mainly reflects English culture and English mannerisms. In contrast, American

literature mirrors American culture, its history, and revolutionary concepts such as relationships

with the church, the state, and supernatural elements that emerged in the country. E.g .

Massachusetts battle.

Both English literature and American literature offer a lot of interesting differences for

consideration. One can insightfully apply these differences to an exploration of the history and

culture of these two countries by reading the writing by their writers. Styles, narration, and topics

may differ, but one can recognize unmistakable habits and customs typical for both English and

American writers.

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

American literature is often known as much more realistic in portraying characters while English

literature is known for its wit and portrayal of themes in plots and characterization.

English literature tends to be more realistic than American literature. It is highly sophisticated

and complex, whereas American literature uses simple language and concepts. The difference

between English literature and American literature is that the former is "modern," while the latter

is "abbreviated" and "simplified." English literature is written in a more modern style than

American literature. English literature abbreviates words by using only the first letter of each

word, whereas American literature uses full words. English literature simplifies sentences by

using short, simple sentences, whereas American literature does not do this.

REFERENCES

Wa Thiong’o, N. (2018). On the abolition of the English Department 1. Présence Africaine, (1),

103-109.

Klarer, M. (2013). An introduction to literary studies. Routledge.

ASIT BARICK, M. (2023, January 16). Differences between english literature and American

literature. Retrieved February 11, 2023, from

https://www.barickacademy.in/2022/10/differences-between-english-literature.html

Admin. (2014, September 18). Difference between english literature and American literature.

Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-

between-english-literature-and-vs-american-liter/

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The difference between English Literature and American Literature

Walker, A. (2023, January 21). English literature vs. American literature. Retrieved February 11,

2023, from https://theadroitjournal.org/2019/05/01/english-literature-vs-american-

literature/

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