The fabric of American literary realism : readymade clothing, social mobility, and assimilation / Babak Elahi.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Elahi, Babak, 1965-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

American fiction--19th century--History and criticism.

American fiction.

American fiction--20th century--History and criticism.

Clothing and dress in literature.

Realism in literature.

Physical Description:

vii, 220 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, [2009]

Summary:

"This volume traces the connections between the increased economic importance of the garment industry with the advent of a powerful movement towards literary realism in American fiction. This work examines the development of the American ideal from the "homespun" to the "ready made," and explains how that cultural and psychological change appeared in the literature of the nation"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Dress in the North American political imagination

The discourse of dress and literary realism in the United States

Henry James's old clothes

From clothing to nothing : annihilating the self in Sister Carrie

Dress and mobility in The rise of David Levinsky

The financial and sartorial fictions of Anzia Yezierska

The clothing of the American frontier, or, How the West was worn in Willa Cather

Postscript: A scarf, A shawl, un rebozo.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 209-215) and index.

ISBN:

9780786441198

0786441194

OCLC:

277136426