聊城大学外国语学院美国文学史与选读课件 Lecture16.pptVIP

Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) Life of Theodore Dreiser Born the 12th of 13 children in a poor family in Terre Haute, Indiana in 1871 Anchorless childhood family life and wandering and shifting brothers and sisters Odd jobs, esp. a journalist of several newspapers At age of 18, entering Indiana University with the help of a teacher, but quitting one year later Life of Theodore Dreiser In 1890 adventuring into Chicago doing odd jobs and living in street a reporter on the Chicago Globe before arriving in New York in 1894 Later drifting eastward until settling in Pittsburg where he read Balzac, influenced by whose third-person narrative, detailed description, authoritative narrator and naturalistic literary elements Life of Theodore Dreiser Writing articles as a hack for Success, laying foundation for his The Financier (1912), The Titan (1914) and The Stoic (1947) Marriage to Sara White in 1898 unhappily lasting till Sara’s death Sister Carrie finished in 1900 and published by Frank Doubleday on the recommendation of Frank Norris despite Mrs. Doubleday’s objection; misunderstanding, misrepresentation, artistic isolation and commercial seduction Life of Theodore Dreiser On the verge of mental breakdown in 1902 and sent to a rest camp by Paul Dreiser The years between 1912 and 1927 the prime of his literary career Moving to Hollywood in 1939 and living on the sale of the film rights of his early novels Sympathy with socialism even from 1926 and declared a communist in 1945 Death in December 1945 Important Works of Dreiser The Trilogy of Desire The Financier, 1912 The Titan, 1914 The Stoic, 1947 Jennie Gerhardt , 1911 The Genius, 1915 An American Tragedy, 1925 Sister Carrie, 1900 Literary Features of Dreiser Faithful description of monopoly capitalism and mechanization and human life in it: “depict real-life subjects in a harsh light.” The conflict between human needs and the demands of society for material success Naturalistic world Universe controlled by mechanical and