Great Depression, 30s/40s/50s Flashcards
General Theme
Problems of lower classes; writers interested in socialistic ideas.
John Steinbeck
Not a modernist in the same sense as previous ones; implying realism and naturalism with elements of symbolism and social protests.
His characters driven by instincts, drives and social forces beyond their control, victims of capitalistic society; even when commit crimes, they are not responsible - the society is.
Steinbeck preserves faith in humanity - not very orthodox naturalism; empathizes with all of his characters.
Tortilla Flat
John Steinbeck. Name of district in California, where Pyzanos - Mexican Americans live - on the outskirts of the city; reject ethos of white anglo-saxon society, not concerned with material possession; welcome antidote to the gloom of depression of the thirties.
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck. About pair of immigrant farm workers who move from place to place, farming for other people in the following seasons, have a dream of one day buying a farm of their own - one of the farmers is mentally disabled - very limited understanding of reality - accidently kills a girl by cuddling her.
The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck. Oklahoma farmers who have to leave their farm after series of droughts and join other Okies who go west in pursuit of dreams of success in California; however half of America move there, and so thousands jobless migrants in California
are working for the lowest wage.
Negative portrayal of effects of capitalism; sympathy for victims of system; daily heroism of ordinary people against capitalist exploitation.
WW2 Revival
WW2 revived the tradition of naturalism. Humanity is irrational, not able to progress, myth of progress fell to pieces; US emerged untouched after the war, booming economically, they wanted to enjoy prosperity. The times of consumerism would come back.
Catcher in the Rye
Jerome David Salinger. Manifesto of the 50s. Holden is neither a child nor an adult; wants to remain a child - thinks that world of adults is phony. He wants to keep his childhood innocence, and is against the world of adults. He rejects it (like Huckleberry Finn).
The Beatniks
Second half of the fifties, wore black sweaters, turtlenecks, beards, glasses, traveled route 66 in search of freedom and existence.
The first group of writers who adopt the idea of postmodernism: literature of social revolt, protests of values of their parents, lived spontaneously, rejected graduation, education, getting married, having children (enslaving), drunk, always on the road, experimented with drugs, sex and all of that fun stuff.
Allen Ginsberg
Howl. Started the Beatniks generation.
On The Road
Jacques Kerouac. A group of travelling friends, who experiment with love, sex, talk about philosophic ideas, antiburgoise, highly autobiographical, depicts a character who is the author’s alternative ego: they travel from NYC to California.
Style of a novel - postmodern - authenticity to the moment, no revision, writing to be spontaneous, confessional.
Naked Lunch
William S. Burroughs. DRUGS!! full of psychedelic colorful visions created under influence of drugs - consciousness of a drug user as not in control as the writer
