The two world wars (World War I, 1914–1918, and World War II,
1939–1945) bracket a period during which the United States became a
fully modern nation. Both wars mobilized the country’s industries and
technologies, spurred their development, and uprooted citizens.
World War I left many Americans distrustful of international politics
and committed to steering the nation back to prewar modes of life. Many
were wary of the growing influence of socialist and Communist ideas,
which they associated with labor unions and immigrant radicals. Congress
enacted sweeping exclusionary immigration acts in 1924, radically
curtailing the flow of immigrants into the country.
For other Americans, World War I ushered in more progressive forms of
political and social life. Women and racial minorities gained some civil
liberties and some new social freedoms during this period, though they
still faced discrimination.
Political, social, and cultural life in the United States was
transformed by the stock market crash of 1929, which led to an economic
depression with a 25 percent unemployment rate. This economic
catastrophe was known as the Great Depression.
The Great Depression did not fully end until the United States entered
World War II in 1941. The war unified the country politically and
revitalized industry and employment. The United States emerged from
World War II as a major industrial and political power.
The literature of the modern period reflects the nation’s attempts to
come to terms with the many meanings of modernity. Some writers
celebrated modern developments while others lamented them. Most writers
believed that old literary forms would not work for new times and were
inspired by the possibility of creating something entirely new.
Writers of the period debated the uses of literary tradition. Some
wanted to honor traditional forms and language and to include allusions
to canonical works of the past. Others saw such homage as imitative or
old-fashioned. Still others used literary tradition
oppositionally—alluding to canonical literature ironically or fracturing
traditional literary formulas.
Writers of the period also debated the place of popular culture in
serious literature. Some embraced popular forms while others rejected
them as cynical commercialism.
Another issue was the question of how far literature should engage
itself in political and social struggle. Some felt that art should
participate in the politics of the time, while others believed that art
should remain a domain unto itself.
