However, we can identify three key influences that shaped early American literature:
1. Puritan writers: These writers, who arrived in the 17th century, brought with them a strong emphasis on religious themes, morality, and personal experience. They produced writings like sermons, diaries, and historical accounts, laying the groundwork for a distinctly American voice.
2. Enlightenment thinkers: The Enlightenment brought a new emphasis on reason, science, and individual liberty. Writers like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine embraced these ideas, producing essays, pamphlets, and political writings that shaped the American Revolution and the early nation's identity.
3. Native American oral traditions: While less acknowledged in traditional literary histories, Native American storytelling and oral traditions deeply influenced American literature. Themes of nature, community, and the spirit world resonated in later works and continue to be explored today.
It's important to note that these influences are interconnected and often overlapping. The story of American literature is a rich tapestry woven from these diverse threads, and the journey continues to evolve.