Abstract
The advent of World War II, with its challenge to democracy, brought forth a flood of literary writings on the American ideal as a way of life. This difficult period brought to light the need for a citizenry well informed concerning the rights and liberties upon which depends the worth and dignity of human personality. In consequence, efforts followed, through the press, radio, and literature to enlighten adults as to the important problems facing the country and themselves. For youth, still in school, this education depended on the teachers. The purpose of this paper, then, is to place in the hands of teachers a guide to selections in recent literature on the American ideal of life. This will assist them in fostering an intelligent attitude toward democracy in high school students during their junior and senior years.|Moreover, it should be pointed out that although this thesis is concerned wholly with recent literature, still it does not recommend the new to the exclusion of the old. It prescribes, rather, a blending of the more notable modern works with the memorable literature of the past.