Child's Perspective in Hemingway's My Old Man

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Drama, Anthologies
Cover of the book Child's Perspective in Hemingway's My Old Man by Karin Ostertag, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Karin Ostertag ISBN: 9783638174206
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: February 27, 2003
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Karin Ostertag
ISBN: 9783638174206
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: February 27, 2003
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2000 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3 (A), Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institute for Anglistics/American Studies), course: HS Childish 1st person perspective-artificial naivete?, 17 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: [...] The first aspect is stressed especially by Jackson J. Benson when he compares 'My Old Man' and Anderson's 'I Want To Know Why' similar in view, subject, plot, tone, and diction. 'Both stories are about boys in a race track setting. Both boys admire an older man, are influenced by him, and then find their admiration betrayed. Both boys are left puzzled and hurt by the experience. Each story is told in the first person by the boy who is characterized by slightly broken grammar and the use of adolescent slang 'gee', 'gosh', and 'swell'.' (Benson, 273) Christian Messinger argues that 'Anderson sensed both the longing for success that gripped track people and the disorder that accompanied overidentification with horses and racing.' (Christian K. Messinger, 278) The following, however, will leave aside a possible influence by Anderson1 but rather concentrates on the employed narrating device of a child's raconteur. Although it suggests itself to compare the two narration modes, I am afraid I have to narrow my focus for the following examination. As Carl Ficken points out 'At the beginning of his writing career in the 1920's, Hemingway was working at (...) the problem of point of view. In his first publication, Three Stories and Ten Poems, 1923, he told two of the stories through an omniscient third-person narrator and the other in the first person (...) 'My Old Man' in fact, remains one of the classical examples of the unreliable first person narrator.' (Carl Ficken, 94) The following essay will thus discuss the second field of critical interest concerning 'My Old Man': the narrative revelation or more specific Hemingway's technique of establishing a child's perspective. Based on Franz K. Stanzel's three categories person, perspective and modus I will outline the typical features of the autobiographical I-narrator as Stanzel states them as relevant for interpretation. As I have pointed out the criteria that compose the I narrating situation I will on these grounds discuss further how a child's perspective as of the I-narrator, Joe, is established in 'My Old Man' and what function it serves in the story. 1 Hemingway vehemently denied the claimed influence of his elder patron that overshadowed his artist ego. With the bitter satire Torrents of Spring (1927) he publicly recoiled from Anderson and broke with him as a friend.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2000 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3 (A), Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institute for Anglistics/American Studies), course: HS Childish 1st person perspective-artificial naivete?, 17 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: [...] The first aspect is stressed especially by Jackson J. Benson when he compares 'My Old Man' and Anderson's 'I Want To Know Why' similar in view, subject, plot, tone, and diction. 'Both stories are about boys in a race track setting. Both boys admire an older man, are influenced by him, and then find their admiration betrayed. Both boys are left puzzled and hurt by the experience. Each story is told in the first person by the boy who is characterized by slightly broken grammar and the use of adolescent slang 'gee', 'gosh', and 'swell'.' (Benson, 273) Christian Messinger argues that 'Anderson sensed both the longing for success that gripped track people and the disorder that accompanied overidentification with horses and racing.' (Christian K. Messinger, 278) The following, however, will leave aside a possible influence by Anderson1 but rather concentrates on the employed narrating device of a child's raconteur. Although it suggests itself to compare the two narration modes, I am afraid I have to narrow my focus for the following examination. As Carl Ficken points out 'At the beginning of his writing career in the 1920's, Hemingway was working at (...) the problem of point of view. In his first publication, Three Stories and Ten Poems, 1923, he told two of the stories through an omniscient third-person narrator and the other in the first person (...) 'My Old Man' in fact, remains one of the classical examples of the unreliable first person narrator.' (Carl Ficken, 94) The following essay will thus discuss the second field of critical interest concerning 'My Old Man': the narrative revelation or more specific Hemingway's technique of establishing a child's perspective. Based on Franz K. Stanzel's three categories person, perspective and modus I will outline the typical features of the autobiographical I-narrator as Stanzel states them as relevant for interpretation. As I have pointed out the criteria that compose the I narrating situation I will on these grounds discuss further how a child's perspective as of the I-narrator, Joe, is established in 'My Old Man' and what function it serves in the story. 1 Hemingway vehemently denied the claimed influence of his elder patron that overshadowed his artist ego. With the bitter satire Torrents of Spring (1927) he publicly recoiled from Anderson and broke with him as a friend.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book Exile and 'Heimat': Tensions in Lion Feuchtwanger's Historical Fiction and Drama 1933-1951 by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Bilanzielle Behandlung von ABS-Transaktionen nach IFRS by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book If Caliban´s Wish Came True - The the master-servant relationship of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' in Nadine Gordimer's contemporary novel by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Imperialism and Popular Culture Using Malta as a Case Study by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book The Indo-Sri Lankan Relations at the end of the 1980s': Approaches on India's Involvement in the Sri Lankan Ethnic Conflict facing the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord (29. July 1987) by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Ancient Celtic Christianity and its Uses and Abuses Today by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Lean Enterprise: Just-in-Time by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Educating Catholic Children in the Case of Parental Divorce, Cohabitation and Re-marriage by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book The WTO Dispute Settlement System by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Balanced scorecard - Solving all problems of traditional accounting systems? by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Pricing strategies and price politics in the key account enterprise business by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Das Verständnis der Liebe in den Johannesbriefen by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book Analysis of Lord Byron's Poem 'Well! Thou art happy' by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book An Alternative Muslim Emancipation. Monica Ali's 'Brick Lane' (2003) by Karin Ostertag
Cover of the book The Multifaceted Outcomes of Time Pressure on Creativity by Karin Ostertag
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy