The Last Cowboy

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller occupies an important position in American popular literature because it astonishingly created sales myth on the New York Times bestsellers list in 1992. The astonishing commercial success firmly proves that Bridges has become a model of American mass-media mainstream. The simplicity of the writing style never reduces the attractions of the work for since the publication of it, people have regarded it as one of important American popular fictions and taken a fancy to it for its unique plain love story, simultaneously critics have never ceased to make comments upon it from various aspects.The novel tells a story about eternal love between Robert Kincaid and Francesca Johnson though they get together for only four days. One warm 1960s summer day Robert Kincaid walks into an Iowa town to photograph its beautiful old bridges for National Geographic. Asking directions at a local farmhouse, he meets Francesca, a beautiful farm wife. They fall in love deeply and immediately. For four days, they revel in one another's beauty and the magic that they bring to each other. When it comes time for him to leave, Robert wants her to go with him, but she makes the painful decision to stay with her family. After Robert's gone, Francesca yearns for him for over twenty years until her death, so does Robert.On the basis of his notions on career, love and cultural value, this thesis aims to make an analysis of the counter-elite essentiality of Robert Kincaid as one of the last cowboys Accordingly this thesis consists of five parts. The first part generalizes the background of the author and controversial comments proposed by various literary authorities and critics in certain periods. Elite and counter-elite theories are provided as well. And we come to the conclusion that Robert Kincaid takes on counter-elite essentiality. Part two focuses on Kincaid's notion of career as a counter-elite from the perspective of his understanding towards photography and his choice of being a peregrine photographer. In the third part, Kincaid's counter-elite essentiality, which is based on his notion of tender sentiment, is further probed into. Part four centers on development of protagonist's recognition on cultural value such as his notion of self-establishment and"the Other". Part five serves as the conclusion. At the very end of this thesis, the author states that the counter-elite essence is highlighted by the inherent qualities of Robert Kincaid as the last cowboy and enlightens us on the development of individual spirituality in modern times.