21st Century Literature Reviewer were viewed as the exaggerations or flights of

fancy of Romanticism. Realists sought to

develop an artistic style that valued the faithful
Literary Movements that shaped the 21 st portrayal of everyday experience, what Henry
Century Literature James described as “the drama of a broken tea
cup.” The development of realism coincided
Movement - A grouping of writers who share with the rise of social reform movements and
similar aims, years of publication, and a base of many realistic writers and artists chose to focus
operations. on social issues, such as poverty and the plight
Literary Movement - Work of literature was of the working class, in cities as well as in the
created and distributed is a critical layer to country. The height of realist writing in
include in one’s analysis. Beyond specific American literature is considered to have
historical or cultural events relevant to a given occurred from the time of the U.S. Civil War (c.
literary work, appreciating the rise and fall of 1865) to the turn of the century (c. 1900).
the prominence of particular literary Realism as a literary movement swept across
movements can inform the interpretations of the country.
what we read. There are four major literary Naturalism - Overlapping with the development
movements applicable to the study of modern of Realism was the literary movement known as
literature: Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Naturalism (approximately 1880–1930).
and Modernism. Naturalist literature sought to apply scientific
Romanticism - was an artistic and intellectual principles of objectivity and detachment to the
movement that originated in Europe towards characters and subjects represented in novels
the end of the eighteenth century characterized and short fiction. In this way, Naturalism is
by a heightened interest in nature and an influenced more by philosophical ideals than
emphasis on individual expression of emotion literary techniques including, though not
and imagination. Romanticism flourished from exclusively, existentialism and social
the early to the mid-nineteenth century, partly determinism. Characters in naturalistic stories
as a reaction to the rationalism and empiricism frequently confront social conditions or
of the previous age (the Enlightenment). In personal conflicts which cannot be reconciled
fiction, Romanticism is often expressed through through the exercise of free will alone; these
an emphasis on the individual (a main characters may fall upon tragic circumstance
character) and the expression of his or her due to their social class, the harsh realities of
emotional experience, such as by having the nature or the inner strife of conflicting
plot coincide with the character’s emotional emotions, morals, and passions. Naturalist
conflicts. In opposition to the logic of the authors borrowed some of the stylistic
previous age, Romantic fiction sometimes even innovations of Realism, yet often felt Realist
returns to Gothic elements, which often works did not portray everyday experience in its
includes stories about the supernatural of the full grit and trauma, remaining more to middle
uncanny. class tastes. In order to convey what they felt to
be the harshness of life circumstances across
Realism - was an artistic and intellectual the spectrum of human experience, some
movement of the late nineteenth century that Naturalist writers combined elements of
stressed the faithful representation of reality or Realism (a focus on the everyday) with
verisimilitude. Realism was a reaction to what elements of Romanticism (a focus on emotion
and symbolism) in order to portray what they at the height of Modernism to the point of
understood to be the futility of human striving becoming parody, obscuring what is comic and
in an indifferent universe. what is tragic about the subjects being
represented. It is considered as “Postmodern” if
Modernism - became the predominant literary
it is developed in the second half of the 20th
and artistic movement of the 20th century.
century, share some of the concerns and
Modernism is a broad term referring to the
motivations of modernists, they often take
social thought, cultural expressions, and artistic
these principles to a much different end. And
techniques that broke with past traditions
smaller contingents (sub-movements) of writers
following the political upheavals across Europe
exist, often in conflict with the postmodern
in the mid–1800s (including the French
groups, but produced in the same time period:
Revolution) through the horrors of the first
The Beats, the Confessional Poets, the Black
World War, as well as the scientific and
Arts Movement, the Black Mountain school and
technological developments flowing from the
the New York school of poets.
Industrial Revolution. Yet, modernism’ also is a
term that is specifically used in relation to a SILK
precise style of fiction that attempted to
Introduction - The novel tells the story of a
chronicle the personal alienation, cultural
French silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler
disruption, and even loneliness of living in a
named Hervé Joncour in 19th century France
century of rapid and often traumatic change. 
who travels to Japan for his town's supply of
Some modernist literature (Virginia Woolf, silkworms after a disease wipes out their
James Joyce, William Faulkner) relied on a style African supply. His first trip to Japan takes place
of writing known as stream-of-consciousness, in the Bakumatsu period, when Japan was still
where the narrative followed the organic (and largely closed to foreigners. During his stay in
sometimes chaotic) pathways of one or more Japan, he becomes obsessed with the
characters’ thoughts. Other modernist authors, concubine of a local baron
such as Hemingway, sought to pare down the
Author: Alessandro Baricco - is Italy's most
comparatively flowery language of previous
famous contemporary writer. Born in Turin in
literary movements and present the complexity
1958. He studied philosophy and earned a
of modern life through crisp, sharp detail. Many
diploma in piano at university. After a short
modernist writers sought to create work that
time working as a copywriter for an ad agency,
represented not simply a moment or a region
he started his writing career as a music and
(as in Realistic fiction) but a larger, universal
cultural critic for the Italian press. His first
truth that transcended personal experience.
novel, Castles of Anger (1991), won Italy's Prix
Post-Modernism - The Modernist movement Medicis and the Campiello Prize. His other
(which many believe is still active) is followed by novels include Ocean Sea (1993), Silk (1996),
postmodern innovations in fiction; post- City (1999) and Without Blood (2002)). Silk,
modernist literature extends the disillusionment which became an immediate best seller in Italy,
and disruption that characterized modernism by has been translated into 16 languages, including
further fragmenting language and literary Japanese.
structures, even by creating “hybrid” forms so
Background - Sakoku (Isolation) - lasted for 200
that it becomes less clear what is a poem and
years, from the early 17th century to the year
what is a story, for example. Some
1854 Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan
postmodernist literature exaggerates the irony
to open their shores to foreign trade and named Herve Joncour was tasked to smuggle
diplomacy. In 1854, he had succeeded in making silkworm eggs from Japan. He made a
the Shogun sign the Treaty of Peace and Amity “business” with a Japanese nobleman named
at the Convention of Kanagawa “Silk became Hara Kei. While on his first visit, Joncour meets
one of the nation’s most important exports and falls in love with his mistress. During his
after the Tokugawa shogunate dropped its second visit, Jancour learns about the aviary of
policy of isolationism in 1854. Demand for exotic birds Hara Kei has built. But his mind is
Japanese silk surged after European silkworm distracted by the Girl. When Joncour was about
stocks were ravaged by diseases and Chinese to leave, he leaves behind a glove for her as a
silk exports were crimped by political instability token, he then receives a letter written in
in China.” The story takes place in Japan when Japanese, saying: “Come back, or I shall die.”
they had just opened the country to foreigners. During his third visit, the Girl released the birds
The protagonist, Herve Joncour, is a French from the aviary and they start having an affair.
adventurer with the dangerous mission to The affair was a two-way street as Joncour was
smuggle silkworm eggs from Japan. At the time, married to a woman named Helene back at
bringing silkworm eggs outside of Japan was France. Before his fourth visit, a war broke out
considered a crime. in Japan, he find’s Hara Kei’s village was burnt
to the ground, he then finds a young boy who
Vocabulary Words
gives him the glove he left behind earlier and he
1. Isolationism - A policy of remaining follows the boy to where the village was hiding.
apart from the affairs or interests of Before his fourth visit, a war broke out in Japan,
other groups, especially the political he find’s Hara Kei’s village was burnt to the
affairs of other countries. ground, he then finds a young boy who gives
2. Ravage - Severely damaged; devastated. him the glove he left behind earlier and he
3. Crimped - Compress (something) into follows the boy to where the village was hiding.
small folds or ridges. Hara Kei did not welcome him and encouraged
4. Tunic - is a loose-fitting shirt that looks
Joncour to leave, he refused. Even most the
sort of like a long shirt or a short dress.
eggs were destroyed in the war, in time he
5. Imperceptibly - Impossible to perceive
managed to get a supply, but the hot
6. Omission - a person or thing that has
been left out or excluded temperature on the transport ship caused the
7. Melancholy - A feeling of pensive eggs to hatch earlier than expected, so he
sadness, typically with no obvious stayed in Japan for a little longer. Soon he
cause. receives a letter written in Japanese again. It is
8. Gazed - Look steadily and intently, an erotic love letter, accompanied with a blue
especially in admiration, surprise, or flower. Eventually he returned home, and
thought. retired from the silkworm egg business. And
9. Perceptible - Able to be seen or noticed now he and Helene have three daughters, and
10. Wrenched - Pull or twist (someone or soon his wife passed away from sickness. One
something) suddenly and violently day when visiting her grave, Joncour finds a
blue flower on her grave, this sparks a
Summary realization: Helene was the one writing the
letters to him all along. Joncour then carves the
After Japan has opened up its borders to the word “hélas” on her gravestone, symbolizing his
rest of the world and an epidemic that ruined grief for his true love.
Europe’s silk supply. A French adventurer
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the 3. Deception - is an act or statement
Nighttime which misleads, hides the truth, or
promotes a belief concept, or idea that
Introduction – The story entitled “The Curious is not true.
Incident of the Dog in the night time” by Mark 4. Harrowing - acutely distressing or
Haddon is told through the perspective of an painful.
intelligent fifteen-year-old boy with autism who 5. Autism - a developmental disorder of
includes a variety of clever visuals to enhance variable severity that is characterized by
his narrative. Haddon's unique protagonist difficulty in social interaction and
Christopher John Francis Boone sees the world communication and by restricted or
only in black and white, but through his ultra- repetitive patterns of thought and
rational and unironic prism, readers experience behavior.
6. Tangled - refer to anything that’s
the spectrum of the boy's vibrant and vital
jumbled up and confused.
mind.
7. Apparent - clearly visible or understood;
Author: Mark Haddon - is a recognized name in obvious.
the contemporary English literature. His talent 8. Subsequently - after a particular thing a
not only involves novel writing but extends to happened; afterward.
9. Sneak - move or go in a furtive or
poetry writing, illustration and abstract
stealthy manner.
painting. Haddon wrote his first adult mystery,
10. Dodge - avoid (someone or something)
entitled The Curious Incident of the Dog in the by a sudden quick movement
Night-Time, which was published in 2003, Mark
Haddon In writing this novel the author used a Summary
technique called Defamiliarization.
Christopher John Francis Boone is a fifteen-
Background - Autism is a complex, lifelong year-old boy who has behavioral problems, who
developmental disability. It typically appears lives with his father, Ed. He explains in his
during early childhood and can impact a narration that his mother, Judy, died two years
person’s social skills, communication, ago. Then one day, the boy discovers the dead
relationships and self-regulation. Autism body of their neighbor's dog, named
Spectrum Disorder is a condition reduces Wellington, speared by a garden fork.
understanding of empathy and human relations
but increases mental mathematical ability and The setting of the story is modern England, first
visual memory. Many people suffering from in the small town of Swindon, then in London.
autism and related disorders, as well as those Ed Boone (Christopher’s father) the one who
who love and care for them, have celebrated really killed Wellington (the dog) out of anger,
the book as an enlightening peek into a Judy Boone (Christopher’s mother) she was
mysterious world. thought to be dead for two years by Christopher
but it was all a lie that was made up by
Vocabulary Words Christopher’s father, the truth is she ran away
1. Aided - help, assist, or support to London with her new lover and Siobhan
(someone or something) in the (Christopher’s main teacher) at the school for
achievement of some goal. special children, she is one of the person
2. Hampered - Hinder or impede the Christopher’s trust with.
movement or progress of.
The novel ends with Christopher planning to enrolled at Santa Clara University, where he
take more A-level exams in physics and further earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1988.
math, and then attend a university in another The following year he entered the University of
town. He knows that he can do all of this California, San Diego, School of Medicine,
because he solved the mystery of Wellington's where he earned a medical degree in 1993. He
murder, was brave enough to find his mother, completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai medical
and wrote the book that we have read. center in Los Angeles and was a practicing
internist between 1996 and 2004. In March
A Thousand Splendid Suns
2001, while practicing medicine, Hosseini began
Introduction - The novel A Thousand Splendid writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, which
Suns was written in 2007 by Afghan- American was published by Riverhead Books in 2003. That
author Khaled Hosseini, following his bestselling debut went on to launch one of the biggest
2003 debut The Kite Runner. It is about Mariam, literary careers of our time.
an illegitimate teenager from Herat, who wears
Today, Khaled Hosseini is one of the most
the burqa for the first time after being forced to
recognized and bestselling authors in the world.
marry a shoemaker from Kabul after a family
His books, The Kite Runner, A Thousand
tragedy. Laila, born a generation later, lives a
Splendid Suns, and the Mountains Echoed, have
relatively privileged life, but her life intersects
been published in over seventy countries and
with Mariam's when a similar tragedy forces her
sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. In
to accept a marriage proposal from Mariam's
2006 Khaled was appointed a Goodwill
husband. Hosseini has remarked that he regards
Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee
the novel as a "mother-daughter story" in
Agency. Inspired by a trip he made to
contrast to The Kite Runner, which he considers
Afghanistan with the UNHCR, he later
a "father-son story". It continues some of the
established The Khaled Hosseini Foundation,
themes used in his previous work, such as
which provides humanitarian assistance to the
familial dynamics, but instead focusing primarily
people of Afghanistan.
on female characters and their roles in
contemporary Afghan society. The practices in Background
this novel are no longer limited to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is a landlocked country at the
The burqa is now being worn in other various
crossroads of Central and South Asia. It was
Muslim countries around the world.
used to be a progressive Muslim country before
Author: Khaled Hosseini - was born in Kabul, the Taliban gained power. When the Taliban
Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat ruled Afghanistan, they became a religious state
in the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother or a theocracy and enforced laws that were
taught Farsi and history at a high school in fundamentalist in nature. One of the laws was
Kabul. In 1976, the Foreign Ministry relocated the requirement for all of their women to wear
the Hosseini family to Paris. They were ready to a burqa in public. The burqa, also known as
return to Kabul in 1980, but by then their chadaree, is an enveloping outer garment which
homeland had witnessed a bloody communist covers the body and the face that is worn by
coup and the invasion of the Soviet Army. The some women in some Islamic traditions.
Hosseinis sought and were granted political Moreover, the Taliban also protected the well-
asylum in the United States, and in September known terrorist Osama Bin Laden, who was the
1980 moved to San Jose, California. Hosseini mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attack,
graduated from high school in 1984 and which involved the crash of two airplanes in the
Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New street. The next morning, Jalil's chauffeur drives
York. Recently, the USA invaded Afghanistan Mariam home where she finds that her mother
and removed the Taliban from power. Today, has committed suicide.
Afghanistan has its own government, but the
Mariam is taken to Jalil's home after her
Taliban still has a strong influence on the
mother's funeral. Jalil's wives want nothing to
Afghan society.
do with Mariam, so they force him to let her
Vocabulary Words marry Rasheed, a widowed shoemaker in Kabul.
At first Rasheed treats Mariam decently, but
1. Chauffeur – A person employed to drive
after she suffers miscarriage after miscarriage,
a private automobile.
he abuses her both physically and verbally. It
2. Demise – A person’s death.
3. Devastated – Brought to a state of ruin becomes clear that Rasheed's only use for
or destruction. Mariam is in her ability to replace the son he
4. Disrupts – Interrupt by causing a lost years ago.
disturbance or problem.
Growing up down the street from Rasheed and
5. Manipulative – Characterized by
Mariam is Laila, a young, intelligent girl from a
unscrupulous control of a situation or
person. loving family. However, the Afghani war against
6. Overshadowed – Appear much more the Soviets disrupts Laila's childhood and both
prominent or important than. her older brothers leave to join the war. Laila
7. Reluctantly – In an unwilling and seeks comfort from her best friend, Tariq, a boy
hesitant way. a few years older than her. Just before Laila
8. Resents – Feel bitterness. reaches adolescence, her parents receive news
9. Spiteful – Acting in a mean way, with a that both of their sons have been killed. A few
desire to hurt someone. years later, war reaches Kabul and bombs fall
10. Splendid – Magnificent; very on the city regularly. By now, Tariq and Laila are
impressive. teenagers and in love. As Tariq tells
Summary
Laila that he and his family are fleeing to
A Thousand Splendid Suns is set in Afghanistan Pakistan, the couples make love for the first
from the early 1960s to the early 2000s. time, quickly and passionately. A few days later,
Mariam, a young girl in the 1960s, grows up Laila's parents decide to leave Afghanistan as
outside Herat, a small city in Afghanistan. well, but as they are packing a rocket hits their
Mariam has complicated feelings about her house, killing Laila's parents and wounding her.
parents: She lives with her spiteful and
stubborn mother, Nana; while her father Jalil, a Rasheed and Mariam nurse Laila back to health
successful businessman, visits Mariam — his and after she recovers, a stranger, Abdul Sharif
only illegitimate child — once a week. Mariam brings her news that Tariq has died. Devastated
resents her limited place in Jalil's life; she wants and realizing she's pregnant with Tariq's child,
to live with him, his three wives, and her half- Laila agrees to marry Rasheed. Mariam is
siblings in Herat. She makes her wishes known initially hurt and threatened by Laila's presence
by asking Jalil to take her to see Pinocchio for and refuses to have anything to do with her.
her fifteenth birthday. Jalil reluctantly agrees, However, after Laila gives birth to a daughter,
but then never shows up to take her to the film. Aziza, the women come to see themselves as
Mariam walks to heart and finds Jalil's house, allies against Rasheed's abusive, manipulative
but he doesn't let her in, so she sleeps on the ways. A few years later, Laila gives birth to a
son, Zalmai. Then, one afternoon, after years of About Archetypes that will be a valuable tool in
abuse and sadness, Laila is shocked to see a understanding the elements of the powerful
man standing at her front door: Tariq. kind of literature.

In Pakistan, Tariq and Laila marry and finally Author: Carrie Ryan – Is the New York Times
begin the life they dreamed of so many years bestselling author of multiple books for both
ago. With time, both of Laila's children warm to middle-grade and young adult readers such as
Tariq and they enjoy their new life. But in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series, the Map
September, 2001, their happiness was the Everywhere series. Carrie is a graduate of
overshadowed by news that the United States Williams College and Duke University School of
had attacked Afghanistan. Following the US Law. Her books have sold in over 22 territories
invasion, conditions in Kabul improve, and Laila and her first book is in development as a major
insists that her family move back home so they motion picture. A former litigator, Carrie now
can help rebuild their city. They stop by Herat lives in Charlotte, NC, with her Husband and
on their way to Kabul, where Laila visits various pets.
Mariam's old home and is able to come to
Background – Zombie is a fictional creature, a
terms with her grief over Mariam's execution.
being not really alive but not dead either, often
Laila and Tariq build a new life in Kabul: Laila
refer to as “the undead” In most books and
becomes a schoolteacher at the orphanage
movies, zombies are slow moving monsters in
where Aziza once lived. And when Laila
various stages of mutilation or decay. They
becomes pregnant, she decides that if she has a
usually have only one goal – to attack humans
girl, she'll name her Mariam.
and thus create more zombies. True to the
A Forest of Hands and Teeth mythology of these creatures, in the Forest of
Hands and Teeth, author Carrie Ryan places
Introduction – In this story, as Mary faces her
readers in a world in which zombies pursue
environment, she tries to make sense of her
people in order to bite and infect them, thus
world and her relationships, not unlike any
turning them into fellow zombies.
young person anywhere or at any time. Though
her world is strange to us, some of its problems Although not real, the idea of zombies has some
are not. The mix of elements in the book makes historical basis. The voodoo cults of Haiti
it hard to classify it simply in terms of genre – combined with some Christian rituals, west
there are elements of horror, fantasy, science African religions, and magic brought to Haiti
fiction and romance. What keeps the story with enslaved peoples. The voodoo cults
moving, thought is the non-stop action as Mary believed in many kinds of strange spirits,
and her friends and family stay ahead of the including corpses that can be brought back to
zombies. Although there are many aspects of life. To them, a zombie was a being without a
many genres in the book, the action and will of its own, always doing the bidding of its
adventure of this tale is what keeps you turning master. Zombie stories give people the
pages. Beyond the genre, this book is a good opportunity to witness the end of the world
example of archetypal literature. An archetype they’ve been secretly wondering about.
is a repeated pattern that shows up often in Zombies embody the great contemporary fear
literature. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is the and for some people, the great contemporary
story of a quest, one of the most common kinds fantasy.
of stories told throughout time. In this guide,
Vocabulary Words
you will see a boxed element called Thinking
 1. Unconsecrated – The zombies who live stories about the ocean. One night, a young girl
in the forest; the undead who prey on named Gabrielle wanders into Mary's village.
the villagers. She is brought into the Cathedral, where the
2. Heirloom – a valuable object that has Sisterhood keeps her locked up. Mary gets a
belonged to a family for several chance talks to Gabrielle through the walls of
generations her room, but the next night Gabrielle's room is
3. Sympathy – feelings of pity and sorrow empty.
for someone else’s misfortune
4. Enclave – a portion of territory within or Mary later finds out that the Sisterhood forced
surrounded by a larger territory whose her into the forest, where she was bitten by a
inhabitants are culturally or ethnically zombie and turned into one herself. To help her
distinct. escape the Sisterhood, Harry proposes to Mary,
5. Labyrinth – a place constructed of or who accepts, even though she's in love with his
full of intricate passageways and blind brother, Travis. On her wedding day, sirens go
alleys off again, but this time the unconsecrated have
6. Breach – to break or make a gap by breached the fences. Mary, Travis, Harry, her
battering best friend Cass, a young boy named Jacob, her
7. Wail – making a prolonged high-pitched brother, and his wife escape by entering the
sound forest. They explore the forest by using a
8. Indoctrination – the process of teaching labyrinth of fences and find an abandoned
a person or group to accept a set of village. After a few minutes of exploring, they
beliefs uncritically. find out that the village is crawling with
9. Enormity – the great or extreme scale, unconsecrated.
seriousness or extent of something
perceived as bad or morally wrong. Mary and Travis run to a house, as Travis is
10. Dystopia – an imagined world or society unable to climb the ladders that would bring
in which people lead wretched, them to the safety of the tree houses, where
dehumanized, fearful lives. their friends have escaped to. Mary and Travis
Summary spend a lot of time together and fall in love. The
zombies eventually break into their house,
Mary’s mother has always told her about the but Mary and Travis manage to escape. They
stories about the ocean. A place where there make their way into a tree house, where the
was nothing but water and it was always rest of the group is staying. Jacob starts a fire
moving. Because of that she had always dreamt in the village, and Travis gets bitten by a
of looking for the ocean. The world has been zombie in the process of trying to escape.
overrun with Unconsecrated. Mary lives in the Mary ends up cutting off his head in order to
middle of a forest, in a small village protected save him from being a zombie. As they
by fences. She and her brother always looked continue walking through the fenced path in
after their mother because their mother tends the forest, Mary decides to leave her friends
to look for their father and insists to cross over and find the ocean. She finds a gate and runs
the fence. One day she left her mother at home into the forest, where she is quickly
and she heard sirens. Mary discovers that her outnumbered by zombies.
mother has been infected, and dies. Her brother
Jed bans Mary from their house. Mary then Jed dies in the process of saving her. She arrives
joins the Sisterhood of nuns after Sister Tabitha at the edge of a cliff and jumps off into a river in
threatens her. During her stay in the Cathedral, an attempt to escape the unconsecrated. A man
Mary meets Travis, a wounded citizen as well as finds her washed up on shore and brings her to
her childhood friend, and tells him her mother’s his home, a lighthouse.