You must select one of the posted questions and respond with a substantive post which answers this question for the rest of the class. Posts should be between 200 and 300 words each. Your post should interact with the work(s) you are writing about through quote and analysis. Remember that this is a college-level course, so you should use correct grammar, spelling, and sentence structure.

Bryant

1. Bryant’s poetry was influenced by the paintings of Thomas Cole, which often depicted the sublimity and power of nature. Examine one of Cole’s paintings and then choose one of Bryant’s poems to explore and discuss Cole’s influence on Bryant’s use of nature in his poetry.

2. Discuss the ways in which Bryant’s poetry contributes to the development of a uniquely American literature.

3. How is the poet’s view of nature in “To a Waterfowl” and “The Yellow Violet” similar to or different from that depicted in “The Prairies”?

4. Compare the view of nature or death in “Thanatopsis” to Freneau’s in “The Indian Burying Ground.”