The Great American novel
Following the First World War, American writing blossomed into a more enlightened and fulfilling read. With the focus of many novels turning to the homeland and the issues currently ailing Americans, novels suddenly became a political outlet. While critiquing society, writers still managed to follow the form of a novel by including the conventional elements such as a plot, narrator, character, setting and symbolism. The decades following this renaissance in writing yielded many great novels, a few which were covered over the course of this semester. Taking in account the literary contributions these books have made since there initial publishing it would seem that none would stand alone amongst a party of such well written texts. However, it is my intention to show why one novel surpasses the others to be termed the great American Novel.When trying to determine what the great American novel is one must take into account many elements of the particular novels, the setting and the history surrounding the setting. All of the novels covered this semester were set in America at some point and time in the novel. The setting is key because it is one of the elements of reality which gives a novel its credibility. So for a novel to be s
Not only does West give us his feeling he also tells us what was happening to many Americans during that time. Following the stock market crash of 1929, the West once again seemed like the new frontier and many Americans moved west following a dream of new opportunities. West himself seems to be a mirror image of his protagonist Tod Hackett. The novel is set during 1922 in Long Island and New York City. When West wrote this novel he was in Hollywood working as a scriptwriter, much like Tod Hackett who has recently come to Hollywood and currently works as a costume designer. The joy of the twenties is captured in the extravagant parties the Jay Gatsby throws. In search of a new dream many found themselves in Hollywood in it early stages hoping to strike gold as their predecessors had done in California once before. Many Americans were under the disillusionment of the Roaring Twenties and enchanted by the idea of actually living the American dream, only to be let down so hard in 1929 at the height of the economic boom. The Day of the Locust which was written during the mid to late 1930's by Nathanael West, is set in Hollywood and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles during the 1930's. This is West's way of conveying his feelings through his characters. et in America is not enough to make it great. Those sentiments which are very bitter are not without warrant because of what he, like nearly all Americans went thru following World War I and continuing into the great depression. The other class which is made up of people who were going nowhere symbolizes the future of those that come to Hollywood, destined for nothing but a chance to die. It must also give us a setting that tells a story in itself. The similarity of this character to the books author is no mistake, in fact it gives us a personal take on the time in which this book was written.
Common topics in this essay:
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Acceptance Essays
