What features are common in colonial American styles of literature?

The local adaptation of English styles is indeed a key feature of colonial American literature. This literature evolved in a context where colonists brought their English roots to the New World, leading to a unique blend of Old World literary traditions with the new social, cultural, and geographical realities of colonial life. Writers of this period often utilized familiar English forms—such as poetry and prose conventions from the English literary canon—while infusing them with local themes, vernacular expressions, and experiences that reflected their particular environment and circumstances.

The focus on local adaptation is evident in the way colonial authors tailored their writing to address issues relevant to colonial society, such as survival, community, and the relationship with the indigenous populations. This blending created a distinct American voice that was heavily influenced by English literature but slowly began to diverge as the colonial experience evolved.

In contrast, the other provided choices point to features that are not representative of colonial American literature. Classical influences pertain more to earlier periods and the European literary tradition rather than the specific adaptations occurring in the colonial context. Modernist elements emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, far removed from colonial times and not applicable to the literature of that period. Romantic expressions, while significant in later American literature,