Document Type
Thesis - Open Access
Award Date
1984
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department / School
English
First Advisor
Charles Woodard
Keywords
Hugh Glass, Boone Caudill, South Dakota, Montana, Western genre, literature of the American West
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to do a comparative study of two books by two men who are interested in the mountain man and his period in American history. Frederick Manfred and A. B. Guthrie Jr., authors of Lord Grizzly and The Big Sky, have a deep love for the American West. Their books are about America's frontier and the dreams of the mountain men who first explored it. The mountain men's dreams were of freedom from civilization, excitement in discovery, and love for the vast sea of plains and soaring grandeur of mountains. The spirit of the wild is captured in the books of these two writers. Manfred's style of writing is circular. It has a continuation in it. Guthrie's writing style, on the other hand, is more linear. It is straight forward, direct. The main characters are also different. Hugh Glass is a seasoned veteran of many years in the mountains. Boone Caudill is younger, and inexperienced. He is a greenhorn compared to Hugh. This chapter provides a brief history of the fur trade and the importance of the Missouri River in relation to it. The second chapter is an examination of the lives of Manfred and Guthrie. These writers grew up in the West, which helps them to record the happenings of the region and the feelings of her people. In addition, this chapter includes their common beliefs and at the same time their differences as writers of the Western novel. Chapter Three is an investigation of Manfred's writing style in Lord Grizzly. A summary of the story of Hugh Glass and his metamorphosis in character is also included. Chapter Four is an investigation of Guthrie's writing style in The Big Sky. Chapter Four mirrors Chapter Three, retelling The Big Sky and the course taken by the main character in the story. Chapter Four also compares and contrasts the writing styles of Guthrie and Manfred. Chapter Five is the conclusion of the thesis.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Manfred, Frederick Feikema, 1912-1994. Lord Grizzly -- Criticism and interpretation.
Guthrie, A. B., Jr. (Alfred Bertram), 1901-1991. Big sky -- Criticism and interpretation.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (pages 100-102)
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
106
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Rights
In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/
Recommended Citation
Dornberger-Jackson, Carol, "A Comparative Study of Frederick Manfred's Lord Grizzly and A.B. Guthrie Jr.'s The Big Sky" (1984). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 270.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/270
Map
Comments
Appendix 2 - Map of the Fur Posts, Indian Tribes and Forts has been included in the PDF as page 99, and as a supplemental file.
Alternative Author Name: Carol Blackford