Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway are two very influential American writers. Both have contributed a lot to the development of the short story, especially to its sub-genre, story of initiation, with various of their works. In this essay, I want to analyse some of their most famous stories in order to highlight some important initiatory aspects. Firstly, it is interesting to take a further look at the origins of the initiation term, in order to understand why it is applied to literary theorie. Then I will elaborate some important elements and common features to define the initiation story as a literary genre. In the following, to illustrate the theory, I will look at the way Sherwood Anderson built up his stories of initiation. To get a further idea of Anderson's texts and ideologies, I will shortly explain the Freudian influence on his texts and his opinion about American industrialisation. With those information in mind, one can easier understand, how he elaborates his theory of the grotesques, the characters of his work Winesburg, Ohio. In order to understand how this collection of short stories is contently held together, it is essential to have a look at George Willard, the protagonist, and his development and initiation. In the following chapter I will make plain, that the initiation theme is also a very important aspect in a lot of other short stories of Anderson, as for example in „I want to know why“, where a boy painfully has to encounter a form of sexual initiation. To be able to identify also other styles of creating initiation stories, I will focus on Hemingway's Nick Adams stories, on the first one, „Indian camp“, where young Nick is forcefully initiated to birth and death, and on the last one, „Fathers and sons“, where Nick as a father himself reflects on his past and his father. Finally, I will make a short comparison between both authors in order to be able to draw a conclusion in the end.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Initiation
- Story of Initiation
- Sherwood Anderson and his stories of initiation
- Anderson and Freud
- Industrialisation and its impact on innocence
- Theory of the Grotesque
- Initiation of George Willard in Winesburg, Ohio
- ,,I want to know why"
- Hemingway's Nick Adams
- „Indian camp"
- ,,Fathers and sons".
- Comparison Anderson and Hemingway
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the initiation theme in the works of Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway, exploring its origins, key features, and its manifestation in their most famous stories. The essay examines how both authors utilize the initiation process as a vehicle for character development, societal commentary, and the exploration of themes related to innocence, experience, and maturity.
- The origins and definition of initiation in literary theory
- The role of initiation in shaping character development and understanding the world
- The exploration of innocence and its loss in the process of initiation
- The influence of Freud and the impact of industrialization on the themes of initiation
- The use of the Grotesque in Anderson's stories to portray the complexities of human experience
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the stage by introducing Sherwood Anderson and Ernest Hemingway as influential American writers who have contributed significantly to the sub-genre of the initiation story. The chapter outlines the essay's objectives and provides a roadmap for the analysis that follows.
The chapter on initiation explores the term's origins and definitions, highlighting its relevance to literary theory. It discusses the concept of initiation rites and their role in transitioning individuals into adulthood, emphasizing the themes of death, rebirth, and the acquisition of knowledge and power.
The chapter on the story of initiation delves into the literary genre, highlighting its key features and common elements. It discusses the motif of a journey undertaken by the protagonist and the three-stage structure of initiation—innocence, experience, and maturity.
The chapter on Sherwood Anderson focuses on his contributions to the initiation story, exploring the influence of Freud on his works, his critiques of American industrialization, and his theory of the grotesque. It also examines George Willard, the protagonist of Winesburg, Ohio, and his journey of initiation.
The chapter on Hemingway's Nick Adams analyzes two of his famous stories, "Indian Camp" and "Fathers and Sons," exploring how they depict different aspects of the initiation process, such as exposure to death and the reflection on past experiences.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key themes and concepts explored in this essay include initiation stories, character development, innocence, experience, maturity, American literature, Sherwood Anderson, Ernest Hemingway, Freud, industrialization, the grotesque, Winesburg, Ohio, George Willard, Nick Adams, "Indian Camp," "Fathers and Sons."
- Quote paper
- Stefanie Brunn (Author), 2006, Sherwood Anderson's and Ernest Hemingway's stories of initiation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/77103
