Abstract

The Poetics of Place: Regionalism and Landscape in Modern and Contemporary American Literature

Prateek Singh

Volume: 14 Issue: 2 2024

Abstract:

This paper explores the representation of regional identity and the American landscape in 20th- and 21st-century literature, focusing on the geographical diversity of the United States. Through the works of authors such as William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Toni Morrison, and Leslie Marmon Silko, it examines how specific regions—such as the South, the West, the North, the Midwest, and Native American territories—serve as symbolic and literal settings for themes of cultural identity, racial dynamics, social conflict, and environmental change. The landscape is not merely a backdrop but a dynamic force that shapes characters' experiences, identities, and struggles. By analyzing both novels and poetry, this paper demonstrates how literature reflects the complex interplay between geography and personal narrative, revealing how different landscapes function as metaphors for broader societal issues in American history and contemporary life.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.37648/ijrssh.v14i02.004

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