American Literature Introduction

War and peace have been fundamental characteristics of the American nation since the first explorers and settlers arrived on its shores. From the initial battles with native populations to the Revolutionary War that gave this country its identity, from the Civil War to the Vietnam War and beyond, warfare and the quest for peace have shaped American history. They have also shaped American literature, which has frequently been a venue for debate and presentation of the nation's victories, concerns, struggles, and questions.

War is easier to define than peace. War is associated with action, risk-taking, adventure; it is also seen as a manifestation of hell, as in General George S. Patton's famous assessment of World War II. If peace is connected with order, law, and justice, as Albert Einstein believed, then the establishment of peace...