Modernistic Features In Saul Bellow's Herzog

Saul Bellow is one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. This Jewish American is regarded as the most ingenious novelist after Earnest Hemingway and William Faulkner. He is viewed by most critics as a combination of the features of modernist and realist. Herzog which was published in 1964 is his most important work in his creative life. Through a close examination of Herzog, no matter from the aspect of themes or writing techniques, Saul Bellow is a representative of modernism and Herzog is a book with modernistic features.The modernistic features can be classified into two categories—modernistic themes and modernistic techniques. Saul Bellow's works center around three modernistic themes—the chaotic world, the alienated individual and the quest for identity and meaning. His protagonist in Herzog, an intellectual of Jewish background, in a state of emotional and intellectual chaos, spends much of his time in random and disconnected thought that often takes its form in imaginary letter-writing. What around him is a scene of commotion. The chaotic external environment seems to threaten the very existence of Herzog. In spite of his confusion and frustration, Herzog finally accomplishes his spiritual transformation.Through the stream of consciousness technique, Bellow depicts the spiritual situations of characters. The shifts of point of view, free association and shuffle of time and place, become the most effective devices to illustrate Herzog's complex inner world. And the employment of symbolism well conveys the protagonist's mental struggle.This thesis consists of four parts. Part one is about the introduction on Saul Bellow and his creative life. It also concludes criticisms put forward by critics in different periods on Herzog and the author. Part two is to analyze the modernistic themes of Herzog, including the chaotic American society and the confusion that intellectuals face. It also presents the efforts that the protagonist makes to struggle for a more meaningful life. Part three is about the modernistic techniques of the novel, such as stream of consciousness and symbolism. The techniques play an important role in reinforcing the themes of the novel. Part four is about the conclusion of the thesis.Through subtle analysis, Herzog belongs to a modernistic fiction with characteristics on themes and writing techniques. That is the convincible reason why Saul Bellow is seen as a modernist as far as Herzog is discussed.