wider reading

• REALISM: Henry James


  Daisy Miller- Young Women who defies social codes but ends up dying.

  
  

  Portrait of a Lady- Women conflicted between independence and individualism. Ends up sticking to social convention despite her unconventional views and gender and the world.

  
  

  =The culminations of James' novels remind us of how restricted women were in late nineteenth century.

  
  

  -Themes of Gender, Society, Oppression and Isolation.
• REALISM: Mark Twain


  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- Huck and Jim set off for freedom, morality being tested on their way. Black slavery. Huck's conflicts between money and Jim's 'worth' and his value as a friend and human being.

  
  

  Themes of freedom, innocence, the outsider, American dream
• REALISM: Kate Chopin


  The Story of an Hour- Woman is under the impression her husband is dead and embraces a new found freedom, but is then informed he is actually alive and dies of a heart attack.

  
  

  The Storm- A storm occurs and a woman is split from her family and the same thing happens to a man. They meet and en up being ex lovers, they have sex. After storm is over they go back to repsective lives happier.

  
  

  Themes of marriage being repressive and incongruous with human complexity, society, dissatisfaction
• NATURALISM: John Steinbeck


  The Grapes of Wrath- The Joads move from Oklohoma to California in search of jobs and opportunity. Set during the dustbowl.

  
  

  Themes of the American Dream, human futility, dissatisfaction
• NATURALISM: Upton Sinclair (exploring immigrants)


  The Jungle- Family (Jurgis and Ona) trying to survive in Chicago doing low paid jobs. Eventually they die and lose their jobs but Jurgis is saved by a socialist group.

  
  

  Themes of urban and political corruption, the outsider, American dream
• NATURALISM: Theodore Drieser


  Sister Carrie- Woman (Carrie) comes from a working class background and rises in the ranks eventually becoming a famous actress. On the other hand, her lover looses ambitions and money and becomes homeless

  
  

  Themes of gender stereotypes, isolation, hollowness of wealth and materialism
• MODERNISM: Earnest Hemingway


  The Sun Also Rises - Set after World War One. Jake Barnes is in love with Brett who does not ultimately requite his love. Jake spends the novel travelling around Italy and Europe with other men and meeting with Brett and essentially doing whatever she says.

  
  

  Themes of the aimlessness of the lost generation, war, drinking.

  
  

  A Farewell to Arms- Henry goes to War and comes back to his love Catherine. Catherine eventually dies.

  
  

  Themes of the lost generation, psychological effects of war, hollowness of human relationships.
• MODERNISM: F Scott Fitzgerald (other works)


  The Beautiful and Damned- Story of couple Anthony and Gloria. Anthony spends his life waiting for an inheritance which he never gets.

  
  

  Themes of the hollowness of materialism, classism and the american dream
• MODERNISM: Langston Hughes (documented cultural diversity in Harlem Renaissance)


  The Weary Blues explores race and dissatisfaction. African American singing the blues exploring suffering and race "And I can't be satisfied"
• MODERNISM: T S Eliot

  The Wasteland; a rejection against the increasing materialism, hedonism and lack of morality on the 20's