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Mark Twain, James Thurber, And David Sedaris: American Literary Humorists, Liz Sills
Mark Twain, James Thurber, And David Sedaris: American Literary Humorists, Liz Sills
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
This analysis probes the unique nature of the American Literary Humorist by looking at three exemplary cases of this type of figure: Mark Twain, James Thurber, and David Sedaris. Rather than dissecting their works to the point that they become unfunny, this piece examines their interaction with the times and publics that form their audiences. Doing so allows us to better understand their resonance both during their own times and today and gives us a better look at what really makes them stand out in the history of American letters.
Heroic Individualism: The Hero As Author In Democratic Culture, Alan I. Baily
Heroic Individualism: The Hero As Author In Democratic Culture, Alan I. Baily
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
My study focuses on the literature of democratic morality, with specific reference to the question of "heroic individualism." I attempt to elucidate the notion of heroic individualism by examining three modern democratic moralists whose work occupies the space between politics and literature: Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Carlyle and Friedrich Nietzsche. In brief, I conclude that the central aspiration of heroic individualism is to bridge the gap between writing and action, the Text and the Voice. The dialogue among Rousseau, Carlyle, and Nietzsche reveals that the problem of writing as action is central to heroic-individualist morality. Each of these authors demonstrates …