Prof.dr.

Rodica Mihaila
Course 1_3
American Literature since 1945
2
nd
Year American tudies! 3
rd
Year
"rin# emester 2$11
%&'( )P*+,- (1932- 2009)
The Centaurus (1963) has an epigraph from Karl Barth: ea!en is the "reation
in"on"ei!a#le to man$ earth the "reation "on"ei!a#le to him%& e himself is the "reature
on the #oun'ar( #et)een hea!en an' earth%& (*ra( 61+) ,p'i-e on"e sai' . feel to #e a
person is to #e in a situation of tension/0 trul( a'1uste' person is not a person at all%&
)"di.e/ a literar0 institution 1almost 2$ 3olumes4 no3els! short stories!
"oetr0! essa0s! memoirs! literar0 and art criticism! 5ournalism6
A master of American st0le 7 of "ost 8ar realism
2 Pulit9er Pri9es: man0 other a8ards e;ce"t (o<el
=io#ra"h04
-#orn in 2enns(l!ania 3 ar!ar' 3 )or-e' for the 4e) 5or-er
Born in a small$ farming to)n of 6hillington$ 2enns(l!ania refle"te' in some of his
stories
7amil( - father: high s"hool mathemati" tea"her struggle' to support a large famil(
- mother: am#itious$ )riter
is first short stor( at the age of 8%
onor stu'ent in s"hool
9ntere' ar!ar' (sele"te' #( his mother - )ante' him a )riter): gra'uate' from ar!ar'
summa "um lau'e in 19;+
19;+ - sol' his first short stor( to the 4e) 5or-er
(esta#lishe' his reputation as a )riter of short fi"tion in the 19;0s an' 1960s)
1 (ear on a fello)ship stu'(ing art in 9nglan' ()hise' to #e graphi" artist)
19;; - 1o# as a staff )riter on the 4e) 5or-er
regar'e' as <The Brillant 5oung =riter< > poems$ s-et"hes$ essa(s$ re!ie)s
19;? - left the 4%5% mo!e' to .ps)i"h$ @ass% an' #e"ame an in'epen'ent )riter%
19;8 - 1
st
#oo-: The Carpentiere an' the en (poems)
19;9 - 1
st
no!el: The 2oorhouse 7air
1
st
"olle"tion of short stories: The 6ame Aoor
#e"ame one of the most prolifi" )riters in mo'ern 0m% literature (11 no!els$ arti"les B
re!ie)s$ an opera li#retto$ a pla($ short stories$ + #oo-s of poems)
1963 - The Centaur> 4ational Boo- 0)ar'
more pro#lemati"$ greater artisti" signifi"an"e
highl( s(m#oli" B allusi!e no!el
're) hea!il( on "lassi"al m(th
partl( an e!o"ation of his father$ partl( a retelling in mo'ern terms of the m(th of Chiron$
the tutor of 0"hilles%
1
the m(th of 2rometheus B Chiron (a "entaur )ho )as a tea"her of
0"hilles) - (s"hooltea"her Cal')ell an' his son)
0s Chiron (iel's his immortalit( to eCpiate the mis of 2rometheus$ so 'oes Cal')ell
a""ept 'eath as a sa"rifi"e to his artist son%
- !arious le!els 3 m(thi"
- realisti"
- allegori"al
- literal
1968 - Couples> )on )i'esprea' re"ognition: a no!el of su#ur#an life: "ommer"ial
su""ess: a'ulteries
19?8 - The Coup> a 'ar- "ome'( set in mo'ern 0fri"a% .t reports the reminis"en"es of a
one-time 'i"tator of a ne)l( emerge' 0fri"an nation
@ost freDuentl( ,p'i-e has set his fi"tion in small-to)n 0meri"a$ !illages B prosperous
su#ur#ia - a lan's"ape
>he Ra<<it eries
6eria Ea##it 3 ea"h #oo- ren'ers the sense of an era%
Ra<<it Run 1192$6 3 seCual fran-ness (#rought him to attention)
- the stu'( of a me'io"re (oung man of 26$ arr( 0ngstrom ()ife: Fani"e: son: 4elson)
)hose former eC"ellen"e on the #as-et#all "ourt has imprisone' his life B 'estro(e' his
"apa"it( to a""ept the unglamorous life into )hi"h he ha' 'rifte'% 0n aimless$ 'isaffe"te'
(oung hus#an'% 0 former high s"hool #as-et#all "hampion$ arr( )ants to 'is"o!er a
fate for himself (spiritual Duest 3 in a )aste lan')
-)ife: Fani"e 3 'eserts her for Euth
-son 4elson (3)
Ra<<it Redu; 119?16 3 Ea##it is 36% 7ather in la) o)ner of an automo#ile sales agen"(
: "aught up in the so"ial turmoil of the 60s: he #efrien's 2 ra'i"als (6-itter- #la"-
Gietnam !et: Fill) a (oung man B a )oman )ho is a""i'entall( -ille'% ,p'i-e eCpose'
his ol' anti-hero to the ra'i"alism an' seCual free'om of the (outh mo!ement of the
1960s% Gietnam )ar$ the #la"- re!olution% 0 small 2enns(l!ania to)n 3 "ounter "ulture%
6till )ithout a "lear purpose%
Ra<<it is Rich 119@16- 4ational Boo- 0)ar' B 2ulitHer 2riHe% Ea##it mi''le-age'$
)ell-to-'o% .nherite' the father in la)Is #usiness
19?9 3 Ten (ears after Ea##it Ee'uC arr( 0ngstrom has "ome to en1o( "onsi'era#le
prosperit( as Chief 6ale Eepresentati!e of 6pringer @otors$ a To(ota 0gen"( in Bre)er$
2enns(l!ania% @em#er of the lo"al "ount( "lu#% 2ro#lems )ith 4elson% e feels in goo'
shape until his son 4elson returns from the =est%
0meri"a of 19?9 3 'ou#le-'igit inflation "oin"i'es )ith a 'eflation of national
"onfi'en"e%
Ra<<it at Rest 1199$6 3 0ngstromIs re"on"iliation )ith life an' ina'!ertent 'eath
against the #a"-'rop of the 1980s% "riHa si sfirsitul in so"% 'e tranHitie a anilor I80%
4eo"onser!atorism%
=ech <oo.s A 8riters! critics
--Be"h: 0 Boo- (19?0)
--Be"h is Ba"- (1982)
--Be"h at Ba( 3 0 Duasi 4o!el (1998)
2
The =it"hes of 9ast)i"- (198+) J The =i'o)s of 9ast)i"- (2008)
EogerKs Gision 1986
1986 2oems
BraHil (199+)
.n the Beaut( of the Lilies (1996)
Still Looking: Essays on American Art (200;)
the paper#a"- Three Trips: The Short-Story Writer as Tourist (2005)
Terrorist 3 no!el (Fune 2006)
Characteristics of his art
4o!elists of manners:Fohn Chee!er (1912-1982)$ eC%: 7al"oner (19??) auto#iograph(
6alinger
- su#ur#an settings
- fi"tional lo"ales on the eastern sea"oast%
3 neorealist fi"tion
,p'i-e often seen as the most realisti" of all the remar-a#le ne) no!elists )ho
emerge' in the generation 1ust after the )ar
- is remar-a#le st(listi" pre"ision J painterl( aestheti" effe"ts
- is realism has the Dualit( he i'entifies in his )riter-hero enr( Be"h$ a "on"ern )ith
a tightness perhaps eDui!alent to the terri#l( tight -nit of realit(%&
(Colum#ia Literar( istor( of the ,%6% p% 1138)
-shares the ironi" temper B leCi"al a#ilit( of 4a#o-o! B Barth
-sterile in an o'' )a(% 0stonishing in imager(
- "hooses su#tle mi''le-"lass "hara"ters (of their 'a() % ,p'i-eM the most signifi"ant
trans"ri#er or "reator rather of mi''leness& in 0meri"an )riting sin"e =%A%o)ells
- a satirist an' a "ele#rator of our so"ial B 'omesti" "on'itions (&R>&( p% 21?3
- no!elist of manners
- ma1or themes (in forms of some m(thi" resonan"e): lo!e$ 'eath$ free'om$ the #ur'en of
re'emption in the "ontemporar( no!el
- some 'rea' in his )or-: fear of "haos B )aste a sense of oneIs o)n emptiness
N
the 'rea' remains lo"-e' in the 'etail%
'is America
- a "ommonpla"e )orl' of mi''le-an' lo)er-"lass materialism
- a lan' of sterile$ empt($ tri!ial li!es "entere' on TG$ mo!ies$ an' fan mags for the riff
raff
- 0meri"aKs inha#itants are trappe' in installment$ #u(ing$ stoma"hs are #loate' )ith
fran"hise' foo'$ their min's are 'ulle' #( the soaps an' #( the ta#lois sol' at "he"-out
stan's
'is characters
- often sear"h for spiritual an' religious meaning in life
- the( 'is"o!er that in their )orl's sentimental lo!e is a trap an' a 'e"eit: happiness is
#rief: life is as 'ull as their prepa"-age' meals%
Critics
3
- name' him the < s)eet lonesome singer of 2rotestant me'io"rit(
- "omplains that- he o!er#ur'ens his prose #( straining for elegan"e
- his )or- is suffere' )ith nostalgi" (<mire' in the realm of "hil'hoo'<)
- too often his "hara"ters are pre'i"ta#l( auto#iographi"al:
-the puHHle' (oung man
-the lo(al #ut not -too-#right girlfrien'
-the strong$ ol'er )oman animate' #( mispla"e'
enthusiasm
'is stren#th lies in:
- elegant prose$ fille' )ith #alan"e' rh(thmi" senten"es
- his "on"ern )ith the <#usiness of memor(< 3 geneti"s of families (see inter!ie) )
- his eCploration of pri!ate feeling
- his )riting of "lothes$ houses$ "ars$ parents B girlfrien's
N
a means of portra(ing an 0meri"a in all its ugliness
arr( 0ngstrom 'epi"tion of the e##s B flo)s of his eCisten"e a"ross four 'e"a'es of
0m% so"ial B politi"al histor( ('es"riere p% 103 outline)
-One of the finest short stor( )riters
- a ten'er$ 'eli"atel( 'es"ripti!e st(le
- a sharp e(e for the seemingl( insignifi"ant moments in )hi"h "hara"ter is
re!eale' an' later 'etermine'%
6ee #i#liograph( neCt page
+
=i<lio#ra"h0
Ra<<it no3els
(1960) Rabbit, Run
(19?1) Rabbit Redux
(1981) Rabbit Is Rich
(1990) Rabbit At Rest
(2001) Rabbit Remembered (a
no!ella )ithin the "olle"tion
Licks of Love)
=ech <oo.s
(19?0) Bech, a Book
(1982) Bech Is Back
(1998) Bech at Bay
=uchanan <oo.s
(19?+) Buchanan Dying (a pla()
(1992) Memories of the Ford
Administration (a no!el)
-ast8ic. <oo.s
(198+) The itches of !ast"ick
(2008) The ido"s of !ast"ick
&ther no3els
(19;9) The #oorhouse Fair
(1963) The $entaur
(196;) %f the Farm
(1968) $ou&'es
(19?;) A Month of (undays
(19??) Marry Me
(19?8) The $ou&
(1986) Roger)s *ersion
(1988) (+
(199+) Bra,i'
(1996) In the Beauty of the Li'ies
(199?) To"ard the !nd of Time
(2000) -ertrude and $'audius
(2002) (eek My Face
(200+) *i''ages
(2006) Terrorist
hort tor0 Collections
(19;9) The (ame Door
(1961) A . #
(1962) #igeon Feathers
(196+) %'inger (tories (a sele"tion)
(1966) The Music (choo'
(19?2) Museums And omen
(19?9) #rob'ems
(19?9) Too Far To -o (relate' short
stories a#out a single famil()
(198?) Trust Me
(199+) The After'ife
(2000) The Best American (hort (tories
of the $entury (e'itor)
(2001) Licks of Love
(2003) The !ar'y (tories/ 012340152
(2009) My Father)s Tears and %ther
(tories
Poetr0
(19;?) !x6Basketba'' #'ayer
(19;8) The $ar&entered 7en
(1963) Te'e&hone #o'es
(1969) Mid&oint
(1969) Dance of the (o'ids
(19?+) $unts/ 8&on Receiving The
("ingers Life $'ub Membershi&
(o'ication (limite' e'ition)
(19??) Tossing and Turning
(198;) Facing 9ature
(1993) $o''ected #oems 012340113
(2001) Americana/ and %ther #oems
(onBfiction! essa0s and criticism
(196;) Assorted #rose
(19?;) #icked68& #ieces
(1983) 7ugging The (hore
(1989) (e'f6$onsciousness/ Memoirs
(1989) :ust Looking
(1991) %dd :obs
(1996) -o'f Dreams/ ritings on -o'f
(1999) More Matter
(200;) (ti'' Looking/ !ssays on
American Art
(200?) Due $onsiderations/ !ssays and
$riticism
;
6