Research Catalog

Title

Murder, in fact : disillusionment and death in the American true crime novel / Lana A. Whited.

Author

Whited, Lana A., 1958-

Publication

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2021]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

viii, 253 pages; 23 cm

Summary

"With the 1965 publication of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote declared that he broke new literary ground. But, despite its kinship with the New Journalism, Capote's "nonfiction novel" belongs to the long tradition of literary naturalism, originating in the work of nineteenth-century French novelist Emile Zola. Now, Naturalism offers a particular response to the increasing problem of violence in American life and the sociological implications of that violence. This book traces the origins of the fact-based homicide novel tradition that emerged in the mainstream of twentieth-century American literature with works such as Frank Norris's McTeague and Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy. At the heart of these novels is a young man isolated from every possible community who acts out in desperate circumstances against someone who reflects his isolation. A tension develops in the narrative between how society views this killer and the way he is viewed by the novelist, who shows the protagonist as both victimizer and victim. The crimes central to these narratives epitomize the vast gap between those who can aspire to the so-called "American dream" and those with no realistic chance of achieving it"--

Subject

• 1900-1999
• American fiction > 20th century > History and criticism
• Naturalism in literature
• Homicide in literature
• American fiction

Genre/Form

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-249) and index.

Contents

The critical conundrum launched by In cold blood -- The evolution of American literary naturalism -- First-wave naturalism and the homicide novel, 1899-1925 -- Second-wave naturalism and the homicide novel, 1930-1960 -- The old naturalism meets the new journalism : Capote's In cold blood -- Mailer's big "non-book" : The Executioner's song as faux naturalism -- "Variations on a theme by Capote" : the 20th century, part II -- "The chickens come home to roost" : naturalism enters its third century.

Call Number

JFE 21-5663

ISBN

• 9781476672243
• 1476672245

LCCN

2020041821

OCLC

1200036879

Author

Whited, Lana A., 1958- author.

Title

Murder, in fact : disillusionment and death in the American true crime novel / Lana A. Whited.

Publisher

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, [2021]

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-249) and index.

Chronological Term

1900-1999

Research Call Number

JFE 21-5663