What is American Style?

Do you mean the style of our books, shows, and movies?

There is so much to say! A few thoughts about movies: I think we are not as romantic as the French or Italians, but we still prefer happy endings more than many cultures. Capraesque We have gotten more complex than we used to be, I think.

Is that the sort of thing you mean?

Great question! I'm not sure how to answer myself. However, I have heard the phrase "Great American Novel" thrown around for so long now, I'm not even sure what it's supposed to mean anymore.

I will say this: America, on the whole, doesn't have a distinctive voice or characteristic. Different regions do. Southern, New England, California, Midwest, etc.--that's where the distinctions are.

backslashbaby said:

Do you mean the style of our books, shows, and movies?

There is so much to say! A few thoughts about movies: I think we are not as romantic as the French or Italians, but we still prefer happy endings more than many cultures. Capraesque We have gotten more complex than we used to be, I think.

Is that the sort of thing you mean?

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I agree. I think Americans love happy endings and sometimes can't deal with an ending that *isn't* happy.

That said, I don't really know what else would distinguish "American style" - I'm looking forward to reading some more answers about this.

In general? We love violence and believe any real American is fully capable of handling and apprecaiting hardcore bloodshed from the womb, but sexuality is evil and we must hide our children lest they see a nipple.

I don't agree with that in general stuff. Maybe it's just that the extremists in our country can scream the loudest.

American culture is a mix of a lot of different cultures. We take what we like from other places and bring it over here. But it changes from person to person. We like comedy and action. As always, things blowing up is fun. We like happy endings and we're full of contradictions. It makes it hard to define it.

kuwisdelu said:

In general? We love violence and believe any real American is fully capable of handling and apprecaiting hardcore bloodshed from the womb, but sexuality is evil and we must hide our children lest they see a nipple.

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Yeah, we've got style.

Two divergent styles: the hunt for the Great American Novel in the mold of Huckleberry Finn and War and Peace, and the pulpy entertainment novels that play up the stereotypes and projections of the American society.

In Canada: we write like we might be writing the Great Canadian Novel, but no one ever dare so write a book that might ever be considered a Great Canadian Novel.

Jessianodel said:

I don't agree with that in general stuff.

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Good point. I should mention that we love nipples in private, and absolutely everyone knows it and can see how utterly depraved and sick (or healthy, but we're too brainwashed to realize that) we are, but we put on a puritanical face in public and pretend we're saints and everyone plays along. The truth is, we're all just self-hating, hypocritical bastards, and the only ones who aren't are either removed from pop culture (like yours truly) or are just another of those extremist nutjobs that you mentioend and that we all try to ignore.

That better?

Oh, and ADS. ADS EVERYWHERE. COMMERCIALS BROADCASTED INTO THROUGH YOUR RETINA DIRECTLY INTO YOUR BRAIN. BUT THIS AND YOU WILL BE POPULAR AND WORSHIPPED. UNTIL NEXT WEEK WHEN EVERYTHING SAID TODAY WILL BECOME MEANINGLESS AND FORGOTTEN.

I think all of that pretty much sums up American style.

Eh, that's cheerful.

I'd agree with the previous poster that most of us, though not all, typically want a happy ending and that different regions of the country offer a variance in style, but there is a distinct American style that uses plain language, strong voice and little description. I'm thinking of Steinbeck, Frank Conroy and Fitzgerald.

As a group we tend to be highly self-critical. We enjoy humor that is sarcastic, cynical or self-deprecating. (It can be on the gentle side, or the raucous and uproarious.)

We are capable of producing an Emily Dickinson (wry humor, double meanings, and intense self-introspection) or a Mark Twain. (He did the same as Emily, though was more overt about it.)

But like any group of people, hard to define, really.

I thought of one more thing as I signed off: Lack of fear. I really think Americans, again as a whole, are a fearless group of people. Not afraid to say, do or try anything. This can be a wonderful trait for a nation to have, or a terrible one, depending on how it's implemented. We can so be so magnanimous and helpful, and at the same time be so arrogant.

Sorry, didn't want to spin off into politics. But a lack of fear also shows in our writers. No one is afraid to try (write) anything as long as they have the talent, determination, drive and discipline.

jaksen said:

As a group we tend to be highly self-critical. We enjoy humor that is sarcastic, cynical or self-deprecating. (It can be on the gentle side, or the raucous and uproarious.)

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This is American literature, I'm pretty sure. In any English-language literature class this is the first thing you notice between the American and non-American literature.

However, I don't know how you can compare that to Korean literature... I haven't read any. And if you're talking about American movies or comics, those are other animals entirely...

readitnweep said:

Eh, that's cheerful.

I'd agree with the previous poster that most of us, though not all, typically want a happy ending and that different regions of the country offer a variance in style, but there is a distinct American style that uses plain language, strong voice and little description. I'm thinking of Steinbeck, Frank Conroy and Fitzgerald.

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That's a good point. Although the cliches in American society seep into our fiction fairly often, I think voice and structure defines our "style" more than those things.

Also, what Jaksen said about the can-do, Pioneer attitude that most of us have--like that joke about a man who never asks for directions, Americans like to do everything on their own whenever possible.

Then there's the American Dream of acquiring a good job, a mate, a house, and 1.5 children, I suppose, and anyone who lacks those things and has the audacity to be happy about it is usually expected to explain why.

readitnweep said:

but there is a distinct American style that uses plain language, strong voice and little description. I'm thinking of Steinbeck, Frank Conroy and Fitzgerald.

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Plain language and little description? We must have read different Fitzgeralds.

I'd say, kwuwisdelu's opionion aside, that American Style can't be defined simply -- there's too much variation. There are some general trends but those can change in a heartbeat if somebody were to do something really well. Style for literature can often be driven by what is produced rather than what the people would like to have produced.

Actually, I think the biggest American thing, now that I think about it, is putting form over function. Whether this is a good thing or not is up to the reader.