American literary naturalism : late essays / Donald Pizer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pizer, Donald, author.

Series:

Anthem nineteenth century studies.

Anthem nineteenth-century series

Standardized Title:

Essays. Selections.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

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

American literature.

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

American fiction.

Naturalism in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 153 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

London : Anthem Press, 2020.

Summary:

The four initial essays in the 'Specific Writers and Works' section display Pizer's critical style in its characteristic varied and incisive form. The initial essay, an exercise in cross-discipline analysis, discusses the ways specific works by Crane, Dreiser, and Steinbeck reveal their author's response to specific contemporary visual art works and reportage. The seconds offers a novel way of interpreting the naturalism of London' archetypal story 'To Light a Fire' by pointing out the weaknesses in Lee Clark Mitchell's reading. The third centers on the usefulness of Norman Mailer's essay on American Naturalism not only in its refutation of Lionel Trilling's attack on the movement but in sharing with Trilling and others a misunderstanding of the central thrust of Theodore Dreiser's work. And the fourth is a close reading of Dos Passos over the course of three works of his experience of the 1931 Harland Coal Strike to clarify his thinking of the best means for the artist both to represent and participate in the struggle for social justice in America.

Contents:

American naturalism : a primer

Critical conceptions of American realism and naturalism, 1870-1970

Naturalism and the visual arts : Dreiser, Crane, and Steinbeck

Jack London's "To build a fire" : how not to read naturalist fiction

Norman Mailer, Theodore Dreiser, and the politics of American literary history

John Dos Passos and Harlan : three variations on a theme

Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy and 1920s flatter culture

Dreiser's relationships with women

The study of American naturalism : a personal retrospective

Stephen C. Brennan : interview with Donald Pizer.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 22 Feb 2022).

ISBN:

9781785275487

1785275488

9781785275470

178527547X