In the 20th century，with the great development of technologies and economic，especially the WWI and WWII， western countries’ old social problems and contradictions were aggravated continuously. New problems also appeared. The two World Wars made the spirit system of western countries’ hardly collapsed.

The twentieth century is a flourishing period for the development of American literature, whose main characteristics is irrationalism presented in modernism and post-modernism accompanied with naturalism and post-realism. The flourishing of American literature owns a great deal to the social background both at home and abroad, and to the influence of European ideologies, which is the result of globalization. From the following aspects:

·SOCIAL& ECONOMICAL: Great Depression(Economic Crisis) ·POLITICAL: Two World Wars And Prohibition Movement ·CULTURAL: Culture Globalization(esp. Existentialism in Europe)

享乐的20年代与省察的30年代

“他们是新的一代，长大以后发现所有的神祗已经死去，所有的战争已经打完，所有对人类的信念已经动摇。“——斯科特。菲茨杰拉德

“在饥饿的人们的眼中，愤怒在增长，在人们的心中，愤怒的葡萄正