How are american literature and the american identity interrelated?

American literature and American identity are very closely connected. One influences the other in many different ways. Identity influences literature in the sense that most writers write about their own personal experiences, their ways of life, their goals and their dreams, and all of this is impacted by their identity. For example, authors such as Anne Bradstreet described the ways of living in the country that she identified with, and through her writings, these became integrated into an American identity.

On the other hand, literature can also influence identity. For example, the writings of Walt Whitman identified the struggles and joys of the common American man. This identity did not exist before, or at least it was not celebrated in this way. Through his writings, Whitman created a conscious idea of what it meant to be an American.

the speech this question is referring to is president kennedy's special message to the congress on urgent national needs, may 25, 1961

kennedy responds in a very direct and concrete way to those thinking that communism is a positive system:

"yet their aggression is more often concealed than open. they have fired no missiles; and their troops are seldom seen. they send arms, agitators, aid, technicians and propaganda to every troubled area. but where fighting is required, it is usually done by others--by guerrillas striking at night, by assassins striking alone--assassins who have taken the lives of four thousand civil officers in the last twelve months in vietnam alone--by subversives and saboteurs and insurrectionists, who in some cases control whole areas inside of independent nations." (kennedy)

president kennedy presents communism as cowardly, as a hidden and treacherous weapon that strikes from the shadows like thieves, he represents the system as not even being capable of showing and open and overt attack or confrontation. to finish up the response, he expresses that the system attacks even a country's idependence and freedom.