Final Exam in American Literature ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
WELL ELABORATED ANSWERS
Which of the following best describes the eighteenth-century
movement known as "the Enlightenment?" - CORRECT ANSWER the
belief that the physical universe only exists insofar as it is constructed
by the human mind and the view that emotional connections between
human beings are necessarily psychological projections rather than
actual moments of sympathy
Which of the following best describes the beliefs of the Deists? -
CORRECT ANSWER They deduced the existence of a supreme being
from the construction of the universe itself rather than from the
teachings of the Bible.
"The Great Awakening" movement can best be described as: -
CORRECT ANSWER A conservative reaction against new scientific
and philosophical beliefs
Which of the following people is most closely associated with "The
Great Awakening?" - CORRECT ANSWER Jonathan Edwards
What type of concerns dominated the late 18th century? - CORRECT
ANSWER Political
What single text is often credited with sparking the idea of
independence? - CORRECT ANSWER Common Sense
Which type of writing saw the most pronounced increase during the
revolutionary era and enlightenment in the colonies? - CORRECT
ANSWER Novels
Which of the following founding fathers was a slave owner and did not
support the movement to make all men and women equal? - CORRECT
ANSWER George Washington
,Which was one of the key ideals of the revolutionary period? -
CORRECT ANSWER Individuals are endowed with natural rights.
Which man is often perceived as best representing the promise of the
Enlightenment in America? - CORRECT ANSWER Benjamin Franklin
Why do scholars and critics often challenge the concept of an
American Renaissance? - CORRECT ANSWER They note that studies
of this era have not paid enough attention to the social issues of
slavery and immigration as well as other political and social contexts
that shaped writing at the time.
Which of these advances had a positive impact on the distribution of
printed material? - CORRECT ANSWER Railroad expansion
Which of the following best describes women's roles in the literary
marketplace during the antebellum period? - CORRECT ANSWER
Women were very active in the antebellum literary marketplace,
particularly through publication in newspapers and magazines.
The interest in producing identifiably American, and often celebrated,
works is called - CORRECT ANSWER literary nationalism
Which decade truly marks the emergence of a national literary
identity? - CORRECT ANSWER 1820s
What genre of literature grew out of westward expansion? - CORRECT
ANSWER travel literature
Which writer is most often associated with Transcendentalism? -
CORRECT ANSWER Ralph Waldo Emerson
Which of the following best describes the effects of the lack of
recognition of international copyright law in the United States during
the 1820s? - CORRECT ANSWER Since foreign writers did not receive
international copyright protection in the United States, American
publishers routinely pirated English writers, paying nothing to the
writers when they reprinted works originally published in London.
, American writers thus found publishers reluctant to pay them for their
work when so much material was available to the publishers for free.
Which of the following social issues was NOT addressed in antebellum
works? - CORRECT ANSWER mental health
Frederick Douglass displayed a powerful capacity to stir both readers
of his printed work and audiences in lecture halls in the service of
what reformist cause? - CORRECT ANSWER a movement to abolish
the enslavement of African Americans
Which of the following was the most significant influence of moving
America into the industrial revolution? - CORRECT ANSWER The
transcontinental railroad
America saw an explosion in immigration from all the following places,
except - CORRECT ANSWER Cuba
Who can most likely be credited for creating the first great American
novel? - CORRECT ANSWER Mark Twain
In which career did many notable authors start out during the realism
era? - CORRECT ANSWER Journalism
What literary element most likely became central to regional realism
writers? - CORRECT ANSWER Dialect
Which type of conflict is most commonly found in social realist work? -
CORRECT ANSWER Character versus society
What did naturalist writers seek to explore? - CORRECT ANSWER The
scientific exploration of deterministic effects
Which category of writers seemed to garner the most growth because
of an emergence in regional works? - CORRECT ANSWER Women
Which of the following subgenres of fiction can credit the railroad for
its emergence? - CORRECT ANSWER Westerns
WELL ELABORATED ANSWERS
Which of the following best describes the eighteenth-century
movement known as "the Enlightenment?" - CORRECT ANSWER the
belief that the physical universe only exists insofar as it is constructed
by the human mind and the view that emotional connections between
human beings are necessarily psychological projections rather than
actual moments of sympathy
Which of the following best describes the beliefs of the Deists? -
CORRECT ANSWER They deduced the existence of a supreme being
from the construction of the universe itself rather than from the
teachings of the Bible.
"The Great Awakening" movement can best be described as: -
CORRECT ANSWER A conservative reaction against new scientific
and philosophical beliefs
Which of the following people is most closely associated with "The
Great Awakening?" - CORRECT ANSWER Jonathan Edwards
What type of concerns dominated the late 18th century? - CORRECT
ANSWER Political
What single text is often credited with sparking the idea of
independence? - CORRECT ANSWER Common Sense
Which type of writing saw the most pronounced increase during the
revolutionary era and enlightenment in the colonies? - CORRECT
ANSWER Novels
Which of the following founding fathers was a slave owner and did not
support the movement to make all men and women equal? - CORRECT
ANSWER George Washington
,Which was one of the key ideals of the revolutionary period? -
CORRECT ANSWER Individuals are endowed with natural rights.
Which man is often perceived as best representing the promise of the
Enlightenment in America? - CORRECT ANSWER Benjamin Franklin
Why do scholars and critics often challenge the concept of an
American Renaissance? - CORRECT ANSWER They note that studies
of this era have not paid enough attention to the social issues of
slavery and immigration as well as other political and social contexts
that shaped writing at the time.
Which of these advances had a positive impact on the distribution of
printed material? - CORRECT ANSWER Railroad expansion
Which of the following best describes women's roles in the literary
marketplace during the antebellum period? - CORRECT ANSWER
Women were very active in the antebellum literary marketplace,
particularly through publication in newspapers and magazines.
The interest in producing identifiably American, and often celebrated,
works is called - CORRECT ANSWER literary nationalism
Which decade truly marks the emergence of a national literary
identity? - CORRECT ANSWER 1820s
What genre of literature grew out of westward expansion? - CORRECT
ANSWER travel literature
Which writer is most often associated with Transcendentalism? -
CORRECT ANSWER Ralph Waldo Emerson
Which of the following best describes the effects of the lack of
recognition of international copyright law in the United States during
the 1820s? - CORRECT ANSWER Since foreign writers did not receive
international copyright protection in the United States, American
publishers routinely pirated English writers, paying nothing to the
writers when they reprinted works originally published in London.
, American writers thus found publishers reluctant to pay them for their
work when so much material was available to the publishers for free.
Which of the following social issues was NOT addressed in antebellum
works? - CORRECT ANSWER mental health
Frederick Douglass displayed a powerful capacity to stir both readers
of his printed work and audiences in lecture halls in the service of
what reformist cause? - CORRECT ANSWER a movement to abolish
the enslavement of African Americans
Which of the following was the most significant influence of moving
America into the industrial revolution? - CORRECT ANSWER The
transcontinental railroad
America saw an explosion in immigration from all the following places,
except - CORRECT ANSWER Cuba
Who can most likely be credited for creating the first great American
novel? - CORRECT ANSWER Mark Twain
In which career did many notable authors start out during the realism
era? - CORRECT ANSWER Journalism
What literary element most likely became central to regional realism
writers? - CORRECT ANSWER Dialect
Which type of conflict is most commonly found in social realist work? -
CORRECT ANSWER Character versus society
What did naturalist writers seek to explore? - CORRECT ANSWER The
scientific exploration of deterministic effects
Which category of writers seemed to garner the most growth because
of an emergence in regional works? - CORRECT ANSWER Women
Which of the following subgenres of fiction can credit the railroad for
its emergence? - CORRECT ANSWER Westerns
