Final answer:
In American Romantic literature, the journey is metaphorically related to a quest for self-discovery, emphasizing a deep exploration of emotions and the individual's place in nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The journey in American Romantic literature is best characterized as B. A metaphorical quest for self-discovery. This movement typified a profound interest in the emotional experience and personal introspection. Romantic writers focused on the individual's exploration of their own feelings, the intrinsic connection to nature and a quest to understand one's place within it. This inward journey often took on metaphorical forms in the literature, rather than mere physical explorations or quests for material gain.
Romanticism as a broader movement glorified nature, individual emotion, and looked back to an idealized historical past. It favored the exploration of the human spirit and the artistic expression of personal emotion and imagination. In American Romantic literature, figures like Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson embodied these elements in their work, encouraging a move away from the rigid structures of earlier poetic forms and embracing free verse and personal expression.