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Socio-Economic Class Mobility in American Naturalist Fiction

Roth, Rachel A
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374498683

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Arts, University of Akron, English-Literature.
This thesis examines Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie," Frank Norris's "Vandover and the Brute," Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth," Jack London's "Martin Eden," Abraham Cahan's "The Rise of David Levinsky," and Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" as well as relevant secondary sources in order to study themes of socio-economic mobility across the genre. Chapter one discusses upward mobility and compares and contrasts the rises of Carrie Meeber and Martin Eden in an attempt to ascertain what exactly makes a socio-economic rise successful and what makes it impossible. Chapter two discusses George Hurstwood, Vandover, and Lily Bart and their respective declines in socio-economic status. This chapter examines the factors that led to these characters' downward movement and determines trends across the genre. The final chapter discusses Jurgis Rudkus and David Levinsky and their disparate levels of success after immigrating to America. This chapter points out the difficulties in becoming financially and socially successful and also discusses the importance of assimilation and the embrace of capitalism in order to succeed in America.
Patrick Chura, Dr. (Advisor)
Michael Schuldiner, Dr. (Committee Member)
Robert Pope, Mr. (Committee Member)
Joseph Ceccio, Dr. (Committee Member)
115 p.
American Literature; Literature
immigration; fiction; American fiction; 20th century fiction; class issues; Theodore Dreiser; Sister Carrie; Jack London; Martin Eden; Edith Wharton; The House of Mirth; Frank Norris; Vandover and the Brute; Abraham Cahan; The Rise of David Levinsky;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Roth, R. A. (2013). Socio-Economic Class Mobility in American Naturalist Fiction [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374498683

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Roth, Rachel. Socio-Economic Class Mobility in American Naturalist Fiction. 2013. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374498683.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Roth, Rachel. "Socio-Economic Class Mobility in American Naturalist Fiction." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374498683

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1374498683
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© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.