Publication Date

1965

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Murray, Don, 1917-||Rodney, Robert M.

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of English

LCSH

American fiction; Soldiers in literature

Abstract

A certain complex of attitudes found in the soldiers of modem American war fiction is first discovered in Henry Fleming of Crane's Red Badge of Courage. Fleming reveals attitudes which may be seen later in the heroes of Hemingway, Mailer, Jones and Burns. In all the heroes, disillusionment, confusion and preoccupation with self-preservation manifest themselves in varying degrees of intensity depending upon the author's philosophy and his experience with the material. The last character, Heller's Yossarian, shows a distinct change in outlook from that of his predecessors. Hemingway's Frederic Henry exhibits an attitude of nihilism brought about by the aimless society in which he lived as a civilian and by the wanton death and misery he sees on the Italian front. He deserts but finds that life is still the aggressor waiting to kill him. Mailar’s Valsen and Jones's Prewitt are parallel figures. Children of the Depression, both find in the Army an escape from responsibility but also a prison barring them from self-determination. They are without illusion of goodness or peace, are fatalistic about their destinies. Burns's Patrick is the prosaic citizen soldier. He was nothing as a civilian, is nothing as a soldier. His realization of this fact links his attitude to the attitudes of all the preceding characters. Yossarian is the exception. His only aim in life is to survive. He can see no valid reason for his death. As a result of this feeling he disregards all the values of society which might place him in danger. His is the final attitude of man in a society which is seemingly bent on destroying itself.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

v, 66 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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