Paragraph 1) Rina Ayuyang's novel, "The Man in the McIntosh Suit," transports readers to the tumultuous landscape of 1929 California, where the echoes of the Great Depression reverberate alongside the dreams and struggles of Filipino-American migrant workers. Through the lens of Bobot, a Filipino immigrant grappling with displacement and longing, Ayuyang crafts a narrative that blends elements of Depression-era noir with a poignant exploration of identity and belonging. In this Filipino-American take on classic noir, Ayuyang paints a vivid portrait of Bobot's journey, from his humble beginnings as a migrant worker to his quest for lost love in the bustling streets of San Francisco. As Bobot navigates the seedy dives and vibrant speakeasies of the city, he confronts not only the challenges of mistaken identities and obsession but also the harsh realities of racial hostility and societal exclusion. Ayuyang's narrative is enriched by her passion for old Hollywood and intricate movie musicals, infusing the story with a sense of nostalgia and whimsy. Yet beneath the surface, "The Man in the McIntosh Suit" is a gripping and psychological exploration of a fledgling community chasing the American dream in an unwelcoming society. Against the backdrop of the looming Great Depression, Bobot's journey serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience and determination of those who dare to seek a better life in the face of adversity.
Armstrong, Jennifer. The American Story. Illus. Roger Roth. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1961. Print.
Griffin strikes all of these aspects in her essay. What is most compelling about the essay, however, is the way Griffin incorporated personal, family, and world history into a chilling story of narrative and autobiography, without ever losing the factual evidence the story provided. The chapter reads like an entire novel, which helps the audience to understand the concepts with a clear and complete view of her history, not needing to read any other part of the book. Two other authors, Richard Rodriguez, and Ralph Ellison, who write about their experiences in life can possibly be better understood as historical texts when viewed through the eyes of Griffin. Rodriguez explores his own educational history in his essay “The Achievement of Desire” and Ralph Ellison depicts his own journeys and personal growth in his essay, “An Extravagance of Laughter”. Both essays, which when seen through Susan Griffin’s perspective, can be reopened and examined from a different historical view, perhaps allowing them to be understood with a more lucid view of history and what it is really about.
For the Kracha family, a slow rise to proud business ownership was ended by a series of events: (1) a summer of drunken abandon by Djuro; (2) his return to the steel mills (3) his daughter's (Mary) marriage to a fellow countryman also in the mills; and (4) his grandson's growing discontentment with unfair labor practices and abuses. These events in the Kracha family's lives become intertwined with the story of America's own transformation between the 1880s and the 1940s.
The author, Melina Marchetta applies a variety of familiar and stereotypical events in the book. From cases such as the different characters, their characteristics and their reaction upon certain events that occur in the book. One great example of a stereotypical event in this book is the relationship between Josephine Alibrandi and Jacob Coote who is the school captain of a public school called Cook High. “He cracked two eggs on my glasses once” (32).
At the beginning of this piece, we are quickly introduced to the different lifestyles between the farm she lived in and the one she encountered when she left to New York. Easily distinguished is the contrast made by the use of the word “folks” when she mentions her relatives from “down under” but calls the New Yorkers “people.” The North is seen as a literature archetype as an unknown lucrative place, a strange place where “the flowers cost a dollar each.” This is positioned as a welcome mat to a world of differences betwe...
Personal stories and descriptions of major events are narrated throughout James Baldwin’s works as he analyzes the nature of the relationship between white and black America. The marriage of narration and analysis are especially evident in Baldwin’s essay, “Notes of a Native Son.” As Baldwin describes his father and their relationship until his father’s death, he simultaneously comments about the relationship between white and black America. Baldwin compares the events of his experience with concurrent American events to conclude about the nature of his personal relationships and the relationship between races; namely, that one must come to accept the reality of mankind, yet must strive to fight the injustice inherent in mankind’s nature.
In Contemporary Fiction Writers of the South, edited by Joseph M. Flora and Robert Bain. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993. An appreciative summary of the work. 28 Apr. 2011 Magill, Frank N. Magill's Survey of American Literature, Volume 5. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1991.
Near the end of the fourteenth chapter of Homer's Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, announces that he is about to tell a story to his swineherd, Eumaeus, and several other workers inside the swineherd's hut. Odysseus warns the men that his story is the result of his drinking with them, but the story is actually a test of his swineherd's character. Disguised as Castor's son, a rag-wearing beggar with no possessions, he tells the men a story about fighting alongside the man who, secretly, he really is. Homer emphasizes Odysseus' great mind when he acts the part to its entirety even when his own story is twisted to today's reader. In the tale, his fellow soldier at Troy, Odysseus, is able to manipulate another soldier into taking a request for reinforcements so that Castor's son can sleep under the departing messenger's cloak.
In the early 1900's, strikes, riots, labor unions, and new political parties arose across the country. The government, with its laissez-faire attitude, allowed business to consolidate into trusts, and with lack of competition, into powerful monopolies. These multi-million dollar monopolies were able to exploit every opportunity to make greater fortunes regardless of human consequences. Sinclair illustrates the harsh conditions in Packingtown through a Lithuanian immigrant family and their struggles to survive. Ona, a young and frail woman, and Jurgis, a hardworking and strong man and the husband of Ona, come to America with some of their family to find work and to make a new and better life for themselves. With everyone finding employment right away, the family begins their lives in America with optimism, enthusiasm, and ignorance. Taking a huge risk, they purchase a small rickety house. Slowly, they awaken to the harsh realities of their surroundings. There's the mortg...
Narrative is a form of writing used by writers to convey their experiences to an audience. James Baldwin is a renowned author for bringing his experience to literature. He grew up Harlem in the 1940’s and 1950’s, a crucial point in history for America due to the escalading conflict between people of different races marked by the race riots of Harlem and Detroit. This environment that Baldwin grew up in inspires and influences him to write the narrative “Notes of a Native Son,” which is based on his experience with racism and the Jim-Crow Laws. The narrative is about his father and his influence on Baldwin’s life, which he analyzes and compares to his own experiences. When Baldwin comes into contact with the harshness of America, he realizes the problems and conflicts he runs into are the same his father faced, and that they will have the same affect on him as they did his father.
Studies in American Fiction 17 (1989): 33-50.
The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. of the book. Vol. A. New York: W. W. Norton, 2007.
The life of an immigrant in the United States during the Gilded Age was a rough life. During this time period the U.S. went through a dramatic change in dealing with changing infrastructure and masses of people coming over from different countries for a chance at a better life. This time period was characterized by small wage jobs, poor working conditions and the struggle to survive. The Jungle embodies the themes of the Gilded Age with first hand experiences of an immigrant's hardships of life.
Baym, Nina, and Robert S. Levine. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York London: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. Print.
Black Fiction: New Studies in the Afro-American Novel since 1945. Ed. A. Robert Lee, a.s.c. London: Vision Press, 1980. 54-73.