Great American Novel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The "Great American Novel" is the concept of a novel that perfectly represents the spirit of life in the United States at the time of its publication. It is presumed to be written by an American author who is knowledgeable about the state, culture, and perspective of the common American citizen.
The phrase derives from the title of an essay by American Civil War novelist John William DeForest, published in The Nation on January 9, 1869. More broadly, however, it has its origins in American nationalism and the call for American counterparts to the "Great English Writers." It is an ideological call for American cultural distinctness, and identity.
In modern usage, the term is often figurative and represents a Holy Grail of writing, an ideal to which all American authors strive, and is a source of inspiration. It is, presumably, the greatest American book ever written, or which could ever be written. Thus, "Great American Novel" is a metaphor for identity, a Platonic ideal that is not achieved in any specific texts, but whose aim writers strive to mirror in their work.
An alternate usage is in reference to actual novels. Although the title is not a formal award, it is considered to be a prestigious title for a novel, and is thus seen as a worthwhile goal for writers to attempt to achieve.
Though the term is singular, many novels have been given this title over time. In fact, few will claim there is one single Great American Novel. Two of the earliest contenders for this title are Herman Melville's Moby-Dick and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter has also been frequently cited as an example of the GAN, while several 20th century works have recently emerged as worthwhile candidates for the title, including such highly respected novels as Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, and J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.
When referring to first-time writers, many people state that their ultimate goal is to write "the Great American Novel," illustrating the somewhat idealistic nature of the phrase.
[edit] References
- Brown, Herbert R. "The Great American Novel." American Literature 7.1 (1935): 1-14.
- Knox, George. "The Great American Novel: Final Chapter." American Quarterly 21.4 (1969): 667-682.
