American classics : evolutionary perspectives /
Saunders, Judith P.,
American classics : evolutionary perspectives / Judith P. Saunders. - 1 online resource - Evolution, cognition, and the arts . - Evolution, cognition, and the arts. .
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Frontmatter -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Glossary -- Introduction -- 1. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: The Story of a Successful Social Animal -- 2. Nepotism in Hawthorne's "My Kinsman, Major Molineux" -- 3. Biophilia in Thoreau's Walden -- 4. Bateman's Principle in "Song of Myself": Whitman Celebrates Male Ardency -- 5. Maladaptive Behavior and Auctorial Design: Huck Finn's Pap -- 6. Hell's Fury: Female Mate-Retention Strategies in Wharton's "Pomegranate Seed" and Ethan Frome -- 7. Male Reproductive Strategies in Sherwood Anderson's "The Untold Lie" -- 8. The Great Gatsby: An Unusual Case of Mate Poaching -- 9. Female Sexual Strategies in the Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay -- 10. Philosophy and Fitness: Hemingway's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and The Sun Also Rises -- 11. Paternal Confidence in Zora Neale Hurston's "The Gilded Six-Bits" -- 12. The Role of the Arts in Male Courtship Display: Billy Collins's "Serenade" -- Conclusion -- Works Cited -- Index
This collection of essays offers evolutionary psychological analysis of selected works from the American literary tradition. Application of evolutionary theory to writing by Ben Franklin, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton, F. Scot Fitzgerald, Zora Neal Hurston, and others creates an interdisciplinary framework for examining key textual features--plot, theme, tone, setting, symbol, characterization, point of view--and at the same time provides an accessible introduction to Darwinian literary critical methodology. Pertinent scientific research, together with essential terms and concepts, is explained in context. Connections are made throughout to existing commentary on the targeted texts, illustrating how Darwinian scrutiny can enrich, extend, or reconfigure understandings derived from other critical approaches.
9781618117670 161811767X 9781618115928 1618115928 9781618117656 1618117653 9781618117663 1618117661
2018039194
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 --Influence.
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882.
American literature--History and criticism.
Evolution (Biology) in literature.
Literary studies: general.
LITERARY CRITICISM--American--General.
American literature.
Evolution (Biology) in literature.
Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.)
Electronic books.
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
PS169.E88
810.9
American classics : evolutionary perspectives / Judith P. Saunders. - 1 online resource - Evolution, cognition, and the arts . - Evolution, cognition, and the arts. .
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Frontmatter -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Glossary -- Introduction -- 1. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: The Story of a Successful Social Animal -- 2. Nepotism in Hawthorne's "My Kinsman, Major Molineux" -- 3. Biophilia in Thoreau's Walden -- 4. Bateman's Principle in "Song of Myself": Whitman Celebrates Male Ardency -- 5. Maladaptive Behavior and Auctorial Design: Huck Finn's Pap -- 6. Hell's Fury: Female Mate-Retention Strategies in Wharton's "Pomegranate Seed" and Ethan Frome -- 7. Male Reproductive Strategies in Sherwood Anderson's "The Untold Lie" -- 8. The Great Gatsby: An Unusual Case of Mate Poaching -- 9. Female Sexual Strategies in the Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay -- 10. Philosophy and Fitness: Hemingway's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and The Sun Also Rises -- 11. Paternal Confidence in Zora Neale Hurston's "The Gilded Six-Bits" -- 12. The Role of the Arts in Male Courtship Display: Billy Collins's "Serenade" -- Conclusion -- Works Cited -- Index
This collection of essays offers evolutionary psychological analysis of selected works from the American literary tradition. Application of evolutionary theory to writing by Ben Franklin, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton, F. Scot Fitzgerald, Zora Neal Hurston, and others creates an interdisciplinary framework for examining key textual features--plot, theme, tone, setting, symbol, characterization, point of view--and at the same time provides an accessible introduction to Darwinian literary critical methodology. Pertinent scientific research, together with essential terms and concepts, is explained in context. Connections are made throughout to existing commentary on the targeted texts, illustrating how Darwinian scrutiny can enrich, extend, or reconfigure understandings derived from other critical approaches.
9781618117670 161811767X 9781618115928 1618115928 9781618117656 1618117653 9781618117663 1618117661
2018039194
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 --Influence.
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882.
American literature--History and criticism.
Evolution (Biology) in literature.
Literary studies: general.
LITERARY CRITICISM--American--General.
American literature.
Evolution (Biology) in literature.
Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.)
Electronic books.
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
PS169.E88
810.9