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The "Great American Novel" is the concept of a novel that most perfectly represents the spirit of life in the United States at the time of its writing. It is presumed to be written by an American author who is knowledgeable about the state, culture, and perspective of the common American citizen. It is often considered as the American response to the tradition of the national epic. The phrase derives from the title of an essay by American Civil War novelist John William DeForest, published in The Nation on January 9, 1868. More broadly, however, it has its origins in American nationalism and the call for American counterparts to "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 strive towards, and is a source of inspiration. Aspiring writers of all ages, but especially students, are often said to be driven to write "the Great American Novel." 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. The earliest contenders for this title are Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, and Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Other important and often cited novels include F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, Saul Bellow's The Adventures of Augie March, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, John Dos Passos's U.S.A. trilogy, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Jack Kerouac's On the Road and Philip Roth's American Pastoral. From Wikipedia under the
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Do you want to write the next Great American Novel? Q. People have always told me that I am a great writer, and it is one of my only skills that I am semi-confident about..if I could have the discipline to develop and hone them, of course. I don't feel like I have any other standout talents..but there are a million + one persons out there who think they have a novel inside of them just bursting to get out. I am one of those people and sometimes I think this dream is quite silly. So just curious to all the writers out there, who are far more comfortable with a book than in social situations.. Do YOU think the next Great American Novel is inside of you? And are you ever going to do anything about that? Because I'm not sure if I can. Asked by jenny s - Mon Apr 9 06:47:17 2007 - - 7 Answers - 0 Comments A. I'm going to write something that will make an impact. Can't call it American, though. Might be were I live, but that doesn't mean I'm a part of this decadence. Answered by Stills - Mon Apr 9 06:52:12 2007 Is there a Great American novel today? All the works that are assiciated with the great american novel are.... Q. All the works that are associated with the great american novel are over fifty years old. Has there been any great novels since 1960? Asked by diamond_kursed - Wed Oct 10 00:40:33 2007 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments A. "American Psycho." 1991. by bret easton ellis Answered by ari - Wed Oct 10 09:41:55 2007 What's the best "Great American Novel" ever written?
Q. My own favorite is "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Best last paragraph ever written: "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then--but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms a little farther--until one fine morning---So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." How can you top that? In those words, Fitzgerald captures the entire "American Dream," and how it continues to elude so many of us. Asked by WhiteWolf359 - Sat Feb 24 11:51:40 2007 - - 2 Answers - 1 Comments A. "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser. Answered by mac - Sat Feb 24 12:18:55 2007 From Yahoo Answer Search: "The Great American Novel"  lineaday.blogspot.com Roy & Erin Pickering ue, 22 Sep 2009 14:08:00 GM It turns out that the masses, even with the efforts of Oprah to broaden the range of bookclub selections across the land, are not in search of . the Great American Novel. that may prompt them to re-evaluate their lives and help broaden ...  americanbookblog.blogspot.com Brian Mon, 10 Aug 2009 01:32:00 GM I listen to Michele Norris, award winning radio host of NPR's All Things Considered, on my drive home from work almost everyday. (She also appears with George Stephanopoulos occasionally on his Sunday news maganize program This Week ...  amacombooks.wordpress.com Alice Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:00:27 GM Although Philip Roth has written many . great. , critically acclaimed, prize-winning books, I have always had a special fondness for . The Great American Novel. (1973). Roth is a giant of . American. literature, of course, but he can also be ... From Google Blog Search: "The Great American Novel" |
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