The topic of American Literature often sparks discussion of classics such as Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck) or The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald), books touted for their excellence in writing and focused genre depicting the harsh life and times of American Culture. The new face of American literature does not as easily surround itself in the constant uphill struggle of the American lifestyle, but instead speaks to the readers by taking them on a journey through creative expression.
Current American Authors: Wroblewksi or Niffenegger - Will they last?
Current American authors like David Wroblewski or Audrey Niffenegger draw in their readers using a different set of circumstances. These authors implore our wildest imaginations to take us on a quest through the use of characterization and setting so vivid that readers are led to feel every aspect and emotion as if we are running through time with Henry DeTamble or smelling the straw in the barn with Edgar Sawtelle. With their timeless, yet innovative writing, readers laugh, cry, become angry, feel pity, hurt, demand results and show desire for these representations of American life because they are an escape from, rather than an immersion in, reality.
Modern American Authors: Literary Giants of the Future?
But will these novels have the same lasting presence as those from our past? Will they be discussed, talked about, and taught in schools and colleges around the world along side the great To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)? With 17 weeks on the New York Times best seller list, The Time Traveler's Wife (Niffenegger) would seem assured to become a classic. The plot asks us to move beyond the traditional American literature of life as we know it to combine a love story, a science-fiction novel, and a little magical faith into one amazing piece of literature that has captured the hearts and minds of readers everywhere. Does this make it a classic piece of American literature? How do we know?
Defining a Classic
A classic is considered a work of excellence that has something important to say about life. It stands the test of time and cannot held back by decades or generations. It will maintain its importance now and 100 years from now. Do these new-found authors possess the same staying power as some of the "greats"? For Wroblewski (Edgar Sawtelle), this may be the case as his book captured the attention of literary giants with Stephen King noting:
"I flat-out loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. In the end, this isn't a novel about dogs or heartland America, it's a novel about the human heart and the mysteries that live there,....I don't reread many books...I will be re-reading this one."
This goes directly to the definition of a classic, a book that says something important about life, about humanity, a book a reader will view again and again. The new faces of American literature will surely stand the test of time.
New American Authors Destined to be Classics
As new authors emerge in the pages of literary masterpieces on the local bookstore shelves, bookworms continue to read with the hope of finding the next book that will change their lives and stay with them forever. Whether a buyer picks up The Crucible (Miller) or John Grishman's latest New York Times best seller, The Associate, he or she can feel confident in knowing that American literature's future is just as strong as its past. The new faces on the forefront of the literary world are as destined to be classics as the pages of mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason). Read on America, read on.
References:
Arthur, Miller. Crucible a play in four acts. Harmondsworth, Eng: Penguin Books, 1976. Print.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Tandem Library, 2004. Print.
Gardner, Erle Stanley. Erle Stanley Gardner, seven complete novels Perry Mason in the Case of, the glamorous ghost, the terrified typist, the lucky loser, The screaming woman, the long-legged models, the foot-loose doll, the waylaid wolf. New York: Avenel Books, 1979. Print.
Grisham, John. The Associate. New York: Dell, 2009. Print.
John, Steinbeck. Of mice and men. New York: Penguin Books, 2002. Print.
Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Lippincott, 1960. Print.
Niffenegger, Audrey. Time traveler's wife. Orlando: Harcourt, 2003. Print.
Wroblewski, David. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Print.
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