What role did nature play in early American settlements and how did this influence literary themes

Early American literature was somber and had a quiet strength to it, the frontier was an important part of early colonist lives, survival was at the forefront and there were many difficulties coping with the unfamiliar land. In literature there was a plethora of symbolism pertaining to the wild. A lot of the themes had to do with being hard working, disciplined, honest, etc ...