The Passage To Spiritual Harmony--Winesburg, Ohio As A Bildungsroman

The early approach to the study of Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio (1919) mostly focused either on its themes and writing techniques, or on the individual episode of the book by regarding it as a short story collection, while this thesis is based on generic vision, that is to penetrate the loose plotline into the spiritual development of its protagonist, George Willard under Bildungsroman consideration. Whether in emotional accumulation or in thematic development, the integrity of the book is undeniable. By considering the book as a Bildungsroman, a title, "American Bildungsroman" is proposed tentatively to show the productivity of this genre. Some so-called redundant episodes, such as "Godliness" and "Tandy", complement the understanding on George's maturation and the gradual presentation of themes. In addition, the alternation of seasons is in obvious parallel to George's development and some images (hands, cornfield, rain and room) which appear repetitively add mystery and expressive force to the book.Revealed by George's maturation is the corresponding disintegration of the archaic American culture, which includes the distortion of Puritanism faith in modern world and the disappearance of traditional man-woman relationship. The indication of cultural significance and feminist thinking carries the book out of the category of Midwest literary works. The fact that the individuality and introspective temperament inherent in George is in line with Emersonian philosophy also gets explication by reference to George's epiphanic moments. The tenderness beneathGeorge's departure disperses the gloomy mood of the book, symbolizing his reconciliation with the town and the possibility to have normal communication in modem time. Anderson's Utopian ideal to reconcile the pastoral with the machine manifests his humanitarian tenet as a conciliationist.