Dharshini Karthikeyan - Week 6 - How British Literature Influences American Society
Although Americans often consider American a country that is completely separated from Britain, America is still influenced by Europe in numerous ways. One particular British influence on America is literature. Popular British literature has become an important part of American culture as well.
A popular example of this is the success of the Harry Potter series in America. The books sold 2.7 million copies in the UK and 8.3 million copies in the US. Although the books were not as popular in American during the first few years of the debut of the first novel, Harry Potter soon gained immense fame and popularity in America that managed to exceed its popularity in the UK. Although the series often uses British terms and customs that are foreign to American readers, American has still become the largest consumer of the series.
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Another example of British literature becoming popular in America are Jane Austen novels. Novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility have become a large part of American classic literature, with movie adaptations such as the 2005 film “Pride and Prejudice” becoming a worldwide success, grossing $121 million. Similar to Harry Potter, the appeal for Jane Austen novels spread to America later than in the UK, but her popularity in American rivals her popularity in England.
What makes British literature so appealing to American readers? One reason for this is the familiarity of language. The UK and the US are predominantly English speaking countries, which is why more members of the American population are more likely to read and relate to British literature. Famous British series such as Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice have been made into highly successful movies that allowed them to gain popularity. Another reason for British literature’s popularity in American is cultural connection. Although British literature contains some themes that may seem foreign to American readers, a lot of the themes are relatable because of the cultural similarities between Americans and British people.
Hi Dharshini! I really enjoyed reading your discussion of why British literature has such a large influence in the US, leading not just to books but also to movies and shows that have taken over American interest. I agree that cultural and language similarities play a large role in allowing this to happen. It’s also important to consider that the US as a nation is relatively young, declaring independence from England only around two and a half centuries ago. The US has become the cultural and entertainment center of the world and adopted its own identity in literature, and it has done many things to disassociate itself from its European roots. Yet, the similarities between the US and Great Britain are numerous. For example, Great Britain was relatively progressive around the time of the colonies, with freedom of speech and constitutional monarchy while other European powers were still run by absolutists. This was a nation quick to develop with industry and towards the ideals of the Enlightenment, and the US maintained that progressive trend. The US also inherited England’s imperialistic and expansionist tendencies. With a sense of camaraderie in the World Wars, I feel that the US and Great Britain have a unique and intimate relationship that allows each nation to have a tremendous impact over one another. So, while there are other English-speaking nations with similar cultures, I think that Britain holds a special position of influence due to its complicated shared history with the US. Pride and Prejudice, the Harry Potter series, and other popular British books have gained much attention from American society not just because of their similarities with American literature, but also because their perspectives shed light to the other side of the shared story between the US and England.
ReplyDeleteHey Dharshini! The first thing that I thought of when I read your title was Harry Potter. I find it really interesting to see the statistic that even though Harry Potter was written in the UK, America still had around 3x copies sold compared to the UK. I agree one of the bigger factors is likely because it is in a language that many Americans can understand because the language is more or less the same. I think one of the other reasons why Harry Potter has sold so much compared to the UK is because the United States is also just larger in population, and the US probably also has more disposable income. There is also this allure that British novels hold in America, likely because many think that British language is more "authentic" when it comes to the language. This mainly goes to show how readily America accepts things. As you have said, British influence is even in American movies, generating a large amount of income, which means that the American public must be soaking it in. Of course, America taking in the British shows and movies actually make the British shows more popular, as the population and the fact that Hollywood reaches a global audience. At the end of the day, spreading culture just benefits everyone, which is why both countries readily accept each other's cultures, media, and books.
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