6/29/2023 0 Comments Willa cathers one of![]() ![]() The two components of most Cather novels are (1) a clear statement of values, usually in the form of an ideal which is pursued and affirmed with vigor, and (2) a strong character who is the human embodiment of that ideal. This seems to force her into a rather desperate assertion that any value, even a false one, is better than no value at all. In One of Ours Cather makes a technical decision that puts a weak character at the center of her novel, thus precluding a strong affirmation of values in her usual mode. ![]() Several reasons have been offered for its “failure,” among them the complaint that it has no definable point of view,1or that Cather was so close to Claude Wheeler that she could not achieve appropriate authorial distance.2 I believe that these are justifiable criticisms, but for me they do not strike at the heart of what is wrong with the book. M A R I L Y N A R N O L D Brigham Young University One of Ours: Willa Cather’s Losing Battle Although Willa Cather sometimes stubbornly defended One of Ours as one of her favorite works, most readers tend to feel dissatisfied with it. ![]() ![]() In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |