Great American Novel?

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

Help me settle an argument here, kids.

[Sir Degrader]

By American Novel, do you mean the novel that best embodies the American spirit? Or the best written one?

1) Nope. I never read it, nor studied it in high school, though its probably the most popular work of the lot.
2) Most likely. The protagonist(s) are likeable, southern and represent an era that I would hope that America is striving for.
3) Never heard, can't comment.
4) No. While its the first I thought of, one of the principal themes in the novel appears to be the failure of the American dream.
5) Rich, white prep kid pisses away time, money and life? Maybe the most realistic, but not the great American novel.

I'll stop my ignorant rant now.

[ 03-01-2006, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Sir Degrader ]

[Ilander]

I said "On the Road", because Kerouac represents America's ongoing search for it's own, individual perfection particularly well in it...plus, the book's so much like the verbal equivalent of jazz, the mostly American form of music, that it just seems to lend itself to the title of "Great American Novel," even if it isn't the most conventional of novel-forms.

[Marathon]

I went with To Kill a Mockingbird, but could have gone with The Great Gatsby. I just like Harper Lee's book more.

Just curious, why no Hemingway or Steinbeck? I would pretty much vote for any Hemingway, even though his best known works are set out of America and involve ex-pats.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

We ruled out Hemingway just because the books are set out of America, actually.

[wellard]

A decade ago I started to read all the great works of north American litrature (long story). One of my pet hates is the way European culture fails to recognise the 'classic' american authors.

Out of your list Illumina 'on the road' was so stunningly original, in writing style as well as content, and I was almost breathless at the end. but Dharma bums aside non of his other work could be considered great (IMO)

And like Marathon mentoned, how could you not put Steinbeck up there? With 'Grapes of wrath' or his Californian / Monterey series and his criminally ignored 'travels with Charlie' Steinbeck IS the greatist writer the world has ever produced with Twain and London a distant second in the American league.

(admits... I have never read H.P. Lovecraft will you ever forgive me?)

[ 03-31-2006, 12:44 AM: Message edited by: wellard ]

[wellard]

Originally posted by Illumina Drathiran'ar: We ruled out Hemingway just because the books are set out of America, actually.

What was the argument and who won BTW? [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

My best friend is a librarian, and at work one night she started asking people what they thought the Great American Novel was. I immediately said it was clearly Green Eggs and Ham, thought about it for a day, and decided it was To Kill a Mockingbird. Some other people brought up some strong options, but I think I won in the end.

[Jorath Calar]

I said On the Road... simply because it was the only one I had read... only seen the movie To kill A mockingbird... but I think you should have given a option for Grapes of wrath by Steinbeck... it was the first title that popped into my head when I saw the title for the poll.

[wellard]

Tom Joad - grapes of wrath

"I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there."

they don't write them like that no more *sigh*