Throughout this year, we have explored the many literary movements in our country's history. The hopes and dreams of the American people have been radically altered from the time our ancestors landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 to the present day. Literature has influenced people's thinking throughout the nearly 400 years since our country's humble beginnings; this country was built on a multitude of wonderful and inspiring literature. As this year comes to a close, I reflect on how literature has affected not only this country, but also myself. Has the literature I read this year changed my worldview or simply reinforced my initial opinions? The colonial period began with the colonization of America and ended with the start of the Revolutionary War. The colonial period consisted of simple Puritan style and classical style. Puritan Plain Style used simple language and made comparisons to everyday objects because the Puritans wanted to make clear and precise statements in their writings. In the simple Puritan style, short, simple words were preferred over long, elaborate words in order to emphasize simplicity and clarity. Another reason for this simple style was that the Puritans believed that poetry should serve God and express only useful or religious things. In the Puritan Plain Style era, Americans lived to please God. Morals, values ​​and religion were the driving force of this period. The writing style influenced, but also reflected, the beliefs of the settlers and their current "American Dream." In the poem “Huswifery” by Edward Taylor, he used a long metaphor to compare himself to a spinning wheel. He wanted to be clothed with God's grace and share his love with others. This was exactly the mindset of the American people... middle of paper ...... to achieve wealth and upper class social status. Dexter Green, the main character of “Winter Dreams,” embodied the selfish mindset of the time. Modernism moved the country away from God, and this shift continued toward post-modernism. Post-modernism began after World War II, when writers used elements from previous periods but created a new voice. Like modernism, post-modernism resisted the values ​​of the past heavily influenced by Christianity. “The Pale Pink Roast” was a post-modern story written by Grace Paley. The story touched on topics such as adultery in a way that went unpunished. The work of modernism and postmodernism went far beyond the morals and favorable values ​​that America had always stood for. The decline of morals is a problem in America and the beginning of the decline can be seen through the works of this literary period..