Document Type

Thesis - University Access Only

Award Date

2008

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department / School

English

Abstract

While many authors and novels fall under the genre of financial fiction, an examination of William Dean Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham, Frank Norris' The Pit, and Theodore Dreiser's The Financier traces the startling devolution of the American businessman at tum-of-the-century America. In this thesis, I contend that authors such as Howells, Norris, and Dreiser were witnessing Marx's prediction and portraying society's anxieties or concerns about capitalism through their novels and protagonists. Furthermore, this thesis will examine how these authors clearly established the conventions of this genre through the portrayal of their protagonists: men whose dubious speculating and business dealing led to countless financial disasters. This thesis will show that these authors present protagonists symbolic of the symptoms of the time and highlight the far-reaching consequences of the financier's self-serving actions. Further, by presenting women as commodities or possessions, another element of the American businessman's personality emerges. Finally, these authors investigate the idea of speculating as an amoral activity which leads to negative or even tragic conclusions for the protagonists, their families, and the society at large.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920 -- Criticism and interpretation
Norris, Frank, 1870-1902 -- Criticism and interpretation
Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945 -- Criticism and interpretation
Businessmen in literature
Stock exchanges
Speculation
American literature--History and criticism

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

115

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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