Research Catalog

An American tragedy : perils of the self seeking "success"

Title
An American tragedy : perils of the self seeking "success" / Paul A. Orlov.
Author
Orlov, Paul A., 1947-2014.
Publication
Lewisburg [Pa.] : Bucknell University Press ; London : Associated University Presses, [1998], ©1998.

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Details

Description
242 pages : illustrations; 24 cm
Summary
  • This book's premise is that a novel's ideas about the human drama are not necessarily the same as those its author consciously holds - meaning that a close reading of Theodore Dreiser's artistic portrayal of modern America in An American Tragedy reveals the idea that he transcends the empirical premises of his presumed naturalistic thought to affirm the reality of the self and the importance of selfhood.
  • Based on this crucial premise and intensive analysis of the novel's text, Professor Orlov's study develops an argument offering many original views of the Tragedy's meanings and artistry. There is new light here on the fact that Dreiser sees the subversion of the idea of self in a highly materialistic society as the heart of his characters' tragic experiences. Ultimately, then, this study suggests that An American Tragedy is an antinaturalistic statement about the self's intrinsic importance.
Subject
  • Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945
  • Success in literature
  • Tragic, The
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-235) and index.
Contents
Pt. 1. The Background: An American Tragedy. 1. Historical Context. 2. The Importance of the Work. 3. The Critical Reception -- Pt. 2. A Reading of the Novel. 4. On Sources for the Tragedy: From Factual Core to Fictional Creation. 5. Time and Place Settings in the Novel. 6. The Novel's Naturalism: Elements and Limits. 7. American Values and Distortions of Selfhood. 8. Self-Betrayals and Betrayals for "Success" 9. Distorted Views of Self and Others. 10. Ambiguities in Identity, Reality, Actions, and Consequences. 11. The Tragedy's Effects: Aftermath and Conclusions.
ISBN
0838753507 (alk. paper)
LCCN
97006139
OCLC
ocm36343419
Owning Institutions
Columbia University Libraries