american literature - winesburg ohio

American Literature - Winesburg Ohio

Pg . 1 Sherwood Anderson originally planned to title his book The book of the

grotesque ' however his publisher had a suggested to change the title to Winesburg

Ohio ' Anderson agreed . The theme of the grotesque is the focus Anderson 's writing

The tone set fourth in the prologue was established by the writer was in to lead the

reader to the type of mood he wanted to adopt

His characters Elizabeth Willard , Alice Hindman , and Elmer Cowley are flawed

ineffectual , and incomplete . The

theory of his characters being ruined came from their

collection of truth was an interesting philosophy about which he made no pretenses

Sherwood Anderson calls these characters The grotesque ' These grotesque ' characters

conform , and rebel against the writer 's definition in different ways their elements of

realism is present in the book Winesburg , Ohio

Elizabeth Willard is George Willard 's mother , the hero of the book . The only

character who is woven throughout most of the stories in the book Elizabeth Willard

owns the new Willard House however she is drab and worn out . An illness takes the life

out of her , though she had been passionate in her youth still retaining life inside . She and

George has a deep bond , which they rarely express . She nearly kills her husband Tom

Willard for urging George to be ambitious and hopes that George will be able to express

meaning both his parents . Elizabeth has a brief affair with Doctor Reefy . Both are

similar souls who could meet and find a release for their emotions and dreams

Alice Hindman had an affair , as a girl with Ned Carrie who promised to marry

her . He leaves town never to return but Alice was unable to give her body to anyone

Pg .2

else and so lived in waiting and loneliness for years . She made herself to isolated she

would talk herself . She worked at the Dry Goods store to keep busy and at twenty-five

she joined social and religious organizations . She was restless for companion ship , at

twenty-seven and ran outside naked . She finally accepted she was going to be alone

forever in the end

Elmer Cowley is the son of Ebenezer Cowley , Elmer helps his father run thier

store Cowley Sons , is frustrated however that he and his family act so queer . Elmer

wishes he were normal like George Willard and the rest of town but he tries to tell

George and fails . Elmer decides to leave Winesburg town for a city where he can

distinguish himself from other people . He tries to talk to George before he leaves and he

still cannot express himself so he finally punches George instead . He is proud that he

showed George that he is not a queer

Sherwood Anderson believed one should keep the worlds of realism and fantasy

separate . The writer did not believe that an author could not write about both or the

collision of these worlds however he feared that authors would stay on...