An Exploration Into The Theme Of "loss Of Love" In Winesburg, Ohio

Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941) is a writer who has made outstandingcontributions towards American literature. His literary thinking as well asrepresentative works imposes profound impacts upon many well-known writers, suchas William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Wolf. Meanwhile, latergenerations who are deeply attracted by Anderson’s works also endeavor to make athorough survey on him. Winesburg,Ohio, published in1919, was considered as oneof Anderson’s typical representatives. In this book, Anderson not only depicted theliving conditions of a group of spiritually distorted people in the American societyduring the industrial period, but also exhibited his unique writing skills and profoundthinking. Therefore, both Anderson and his Winesburg,Ohio hold an irreplaceableposition in American literature.Being a humanistic writer, Anderson deeply perceives human isolation anddepression. Thus he persists in exploring the theme of “loss of love” in his works.Being an explorer of people’s spiritual world, Anderson always focuses on humansouls, aiming at reflecting human inner world through his works. His exploration andprobing into people’s souls are vividly reflected in the book of Winseburg,Ohio. Thatbook also unveils miserable human life and the twisted humanity caused by theinvasion of industrial civilization.Centering on the theme of “loss of love”, this paper intends to make a deepanalysis of the grotesque group in Winesburg,Ohio. And this thesis is mainly based onnine stories from Windesburg,Ohio. Besides, through the close reading of the text, thepaper plans to make a thorough survey on the theme of “loss of love” inWinesburg,Ohio. The outline of the thesis is as followed:First, the introductory part offers a general introduction to Sherwood Andersonand his Winesburg,Ohio. Then a literature review of the author as well as the book ispresented. Next, Chapter One makes an analysis of the social background under which thetheme of “loss of love” originates. The analysis of the social background is meant toreveal what kind of society Anderson lived in: industrialization was booming whilesociety was becoming indifferent.Chapter Two mainly explains the implications and manifestations of the theme of“loss of love” in Winesburg,Ohio. Closely analyzing typical grotesques, this partintends to probe the implications of the theme of “loss of love” which refers to theabsence of love. Moreover, concrete conveyance of these implications is also involvedin this part.Chapter Three puts emphasis on expounding human spiritual pains andgrotesqueness reflected by the implications of the theme of “loss of love” inWinesburg,Ohio. The exploration of the theme, in this part, develops on the spirituallevel and the analysis of typical grotesque figures brings out the human innerrepression and loneliness.The last part draws a conclusion of the entire thesis and the writer’s personalunderstanding and reflections on the theme of “loss of love”.