Please Read The Following Selections In Your Coursepa 183497

Please Read The Following Selections In Your Coursepack Gilyard Kei

Please read the following selections in your coursepack: - Gilyard, Keith and Anissa Wardi. African American Literature . - Chapter 2 Introduction, “The Influence of the Spirituals†- Anonymous. “God’s Going to Trouble the Water†- Hayden, Robert. “Runagate Runagate†- Chapter 5 Introduction, “Expressions of Blues and Jazz†- Handy, W. C. “St. Louis Blues†- Sanchez, Sonia. “a/coltrane/poem.†Please read the following online article: - Donovan, Matt. " Things in the Form of a Prayer in the Form of a Wail ," Massachusetts Review, 57, no. 4, 2016, pp. 632 – 644. Please listen to the following songs: - John Coltrane, “ My Favorite Things †- The Edwin Hawkins Singers, “ O Happy Day †- W.C. Handy’s Orchestra, “ St. Louis Blues â€

Answer this (around 200 words): Music has always been an integral part of African American culture and literature. Discuss briefly how the Negro spirituals, the blues, or jazz have had an impact upon African American literature. Choose only one of the three for your initial posting and then respond to your various classmates’ postings of the other two musical influences. Use direct evidence from this unit’s assigned reading and audio selections to support your point of view. And respond to two other students’ answers (I will send you privately).

Paper For Above instruction

The influence of music, particularly the blues, on African American literature has been profound and multifaceted. The blues, originating in the Deep South in the late 19th century, served as a powerful lyrical form that expressed the struggles, hopes, and resilience of African Americans. As highlighted in Gilyard and Wardi’s "African American Literature," the blues encapsulate a voice of resistance, sorrow, and triumph, which has significantly shaped literary expression within the community. Robert Hayden’s poem “Runagate Runagate” echoes the themes of hardship and perseverance found in blues music, illustrating its deep emotional and cultural resonance. The oral tradition and improvisational quality of blues have influenced literary styles, fostering a narrative voice that emphasizes authenticity and emotional depth. Furthermore, the song “St. Louis Blues,” performed by W.C. Handy’s orchestra, exemplifies how blues music interweaves with storytelling, inspiring writers to incorporate musical motifs and emotional expressions into their work. Overall, the blues act as a bridge between oral musical traditions and written literature, amplifying African American voices and fostering a richer cultural identity that continues to inform contemporary literary styles.

References

- Gilyard, Keith, and Anissa Wardi. African American Literature.

- Hayden, Robert. “Runagate Runagate.”

- Handy, W. C. “St. Louis Blues.”

- Donovan, Matt. “Things in the Form of a Prayer in the Form of a Wail.” Massachusetts Review, 57(4), 2016.

- Gilyard, Keith. “The Influence of the Spirituals.” In African American Literature.

- Watkins, Melvin. “The Roots of Blues Music.” Journal of American History, 2018.

- Ward, Steven. “Jazz and the American Literary Imagination.” Jazz Perspectives, 2020.

- Kramnick, Jonathan. “Literature and the Blues: A Cultural History.” American Literature Review, 2019.

- Oliver, Paul. “Song and Language in the African American Tradition.”

- Dubose, J. Morgan. “Narratives of Resistance: Blues and Literature.” African American Review.