The citizen's voice : twentieth-century politics and literature / Michael Keren.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Keren, Michael, 1944-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Literature, Modern--20th century--History and criticism.

Literature, Modern.

Politics and literature.

Civil society.

Genre:

Essays.

Physical Description:

173 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Calgary : University of Calgary Press, [2003]

Summary:

Michael Keren traces the political lives and messages of some of the twentieth century's greatest literary characters in this insightful and jargon-free book of literary criticism. Hans Castorp (Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain), Joseph K. (Franz Kafka's The Trial), John the Savage (Aldous Huxley's Brave New World), Winston Smith (George Orwell's 1984), Ralph (William Golding's Lord of the Flies), Merusault (Albert Camus's The Stranger), Ida Ramundo (Elsa Morante's History), and Chauncey Gardiner (Jerzy Kosinski's Being There) participate in ideological, technological, and organizational projects of the twentieth century. Keren observes these infamous characters' behaviours and attitudes while they struggle through world wars, the rise and fall of totalitarianism, the Holocaust, the development of the atomic bomb, de-colonization, the Cold War, and globalization. By discussing their processes of self-reflection, Here is a refreshing contribution to civil society theory that makes a pioneering effort to cross the boundaries between politics, literature, and culture. A long-overdue study of the human condition via literature, The Citizen's Voice expounds the key features of a "good citizen" while offering a perfect discussion piece for courses in political theory, politics and literature, and history.

Contents:

We Are Not Immortal 15

A Bureaucratic Nightmare 35

In Quest of Authenticity 55

Resisting Big Brother 69

No Fire; No Smoke; No Rescue 89

Freedom and Responsibility 99

And History Continues 109

Being There 123

Death of the Novel? 137.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 161-165) and index.

ISBN:

1552381137

OCLC:

53161753