On The Characterization Of The Grotesque In Winesburg, Ohio

Sherwood Anderson(1876-1941) was one of America’s greatest literary giants in the twentieth century. His novel works and writing technique were criticized and neglected in the1930’s, yet his works has profound theme of human caring, occupying a pivotal position in the contemporary history of American literature. Winesburg, Ohio was published in1919, consisting of25independent short stories. The whole book with a loose structure, has one unifying theme, and a functional figure George Willard. It marked the peak of Andersen’s creation. Through the description of the grotesque’s behavior and inner activities show the main theme in Winesburg, Ohio at the beginning of Industrial revolution the indifference between people, alienated pathological relationship in the western town.Depicting their twisted living conditions and their behavior in the social transitional period was by deep analysis. This paper shows a picture of group grotesque by detailed description and innovative writing style.On the above point of view, the paper can be divided into six chapters:Chapter One provides the background knowledge, and the study of the author at home and abroad, foreshadowing the work of the social environment. Chapter Two discusses the typical representative grotesque characters display the characterization vividly before the readers in Winesburg, Ohio, the tangle of affection, the pain of love, the weakness of faith, the desire of communication, all kinds of anxious and lonely or mutual alienation. Each story was not the surface of life experience but the typical grotesque images adhering to the traditional moral but deprived their right to speak. They survive on the margins of the society reflecting their humanity dynamic.Chapter Three is about the grotesque’s psychological features, such as isolation, repression, the religious confusion; let us see a nuanced description. Chapter Four introduced Anderson’s psychological techniques; it covers loose structure, symbolism, autobiographical narration, the grotesque’s monologue and the function of the central figure. Anderson transferred his own desire to portray the characters and furthermore elevated to the literature. If we analyze Anderson’s life experiences, we can understand his works better. Sherwood Anderson’s creative concept has great influence on the latter writers, such as Hemingway and Faulkner. The central functional figure George Willard was surrounded by the grotesque and had very close relationship with them. Through the communication he grew up in physical and mental aspects. Chapter Five analyzed the external social environment, the town people being lost between the machine age and pastoral life and their inner causes. The grotesque formation process is complex. When we had a clear mind of the formation causes, no matter the impact of industrialization or inner longings, people would have a profound thinking about the grotesque’s formation. In conclusion, the industrial revolution brought social prosperity and the barren spirit of the town people. People are desire to love and be loved, but continue to suffer cold treatment. They became the grotesque for spiritual depression and shackles, including enviable career like teacher, doctor, pastor. Through the analysis of the grotesque, we understand that they are all victim of the industrialized society, we knew the phenomenon in the western town was a microcosm of the whole American society and a transitional society. In sympathy and lament, the author showed his expectancy on the grotesque, hoped they undertook their dreams. In modern society, we are facing the critical transitional time in China. People are in the same plight as the grotesque, more stress, huge change, great challenges. They helps people understood Sherwood Anderson and his grotesques from a more sentimentalist perspective. The social environment in China are similar with the literature background, we can get some inspirations from their story. Living in that environment, we need more powerful inner support. We never wander in loneliness and repression, lost in confusion when we got this kind of inner support from the warmth from family, sweet love, the soul communication, the course of self-struggle and strong belief for better life.