Literary Praise for As For Me and My House
Sinclair Ross' As For Me and My House is a story of the struggle of a minister and his wife during the depression in the prairies. It is told through the eyes of his wife, Mrs. Bentley, and the entries in her journal. At the time of publication, it received little praise, and was disregarded for the most part. This was due to the animosity for the depression; As For Me and My House being released at the end of the depression and outbreak of war, most readers did not wish to be reminded of harsh times. In the late 1950s as the depression no longer loomed in people's minds, As For Me and My House received more praise and was widely read. It is now recognized as one of Canada's most accomplished novels. Sinclair Ross has always been a humble writer, publishing only four novels in over half a century of writing, and along with maintaining his job at the bank, he is considered a 'Sunday writer'. As For Me and My House is not just another depression novel telling of drought, hard times, hypocritical religion, and small-town prejudices. It has received much praise for development of characters through the use of first person narrative, the creating of atmosphere through the use of false fronts, and the enhancement of plot through the use
With Phillip's depression everyone else around him is affected, his wife, his adopted son, the church, and the community: "The secrecy and furtiveness at last begun to spoil it for him. Bentley to deliver his rather straightforward plot for the character development. The pipe is representative of what he cannot do. Yet this is what is causing the hardships within their relationship. Bentley does is for Phillip, to recover their lost love. It establishes a morose community, where everyone is on edge in protection of their true lives, "To these false fronts of their buildings correspond the false fronts - the masks if you will - that the inhabitants of the decrepit structures present to each other" (Woodcock 38). Philip has taken a minister's education because it is the only education he can get. The use of false fronts suggests Ross's attempt to convey the atmosphere of the depression: I turned over the top sheet, and sure enough on the back of it there was a little main street sketched. False fronts ought to be laughed at, never understood or pitied. A third person narrative would not have developed both characters as well as the journal of Mrs. Later in the novel when Phillip is no longer a minister, the relationship between the Bentley's is recovered once again.
Common topics in this essay:
Bentley Phillip,
House Ross,
Phillip Phillip,
Bentleys Philip,
Phillip Bentley,
Philip Bentley,
Sinclair Ross,
Ross' House,
Street Horizon,
Judith Phillip,
false fronts,
main street,
person narrative,
job minister,
goal false fronts,
feels guilty,
relationship phillip,
plot symbolism,
enhancement plot,
phillip minister,
reclusive community,
fronts main street,
convey atmosphere depression,
false fronts main,
main street horizon,
|
Acceptance Essays
