Winesburg, Ohio

Winesburg, Ohio

• Author: S. Anderson  (1876-1941)
  
• Title: Winesburg, Ohio
  
• Genre:  short story cycle
  
• Published: 1949
• Trivia: nr 24 on Modern Library 100 Best Novels
  
• List of Challenges 2018
• Monthly reading plan

Introduction:

1. The old writer lying in his bed, watches
2. “a long procession of figures” pass through his mind.
3. He decides to tell the stories of the people in Winesburg Ohio.
4. Sherwood Anderson gives the reader poignant character sketches
5. …through the narrative voice of
6. …George Willard, the town reporter of Winesburg, Ohio

Strong point:  characterization

1. All the characters held my attention!
2. I really wanted to know what they were like as people
3. ..and not just constructions created out of sentences.
4. Anderson told  me about the character’s  flawed lives.
5. Some people flee Winesburg (Elmer, Enoch, George W).
6. Some people stay to “face bravely the fact that many people
7. must live and die alone, even in Winesburg.” (Alice)
8. Some characters experience a spiritual
9. transformation…that feels almost as a mystical religion.
10. Be prepared to read these stories
11. …and remember this book was written in 1919.
12. In early 20th C  religious issues/values were
13. very important in small towns in America.

Conclusion:

1. Sometimes having lower back pain can be an good thing!
2. I have to keep moving to free me from this nagging  pain.
3. So I selected yet another audio “Classic” on my IPOD and
4. …headed outside for another 30 km bike ride!
5. I was impressed by all the stories…but especially about the women.
6. Anderson Sherwood writes of the suffering of women in Winesburg.
7. “…some young girls thought that marriage would change the face of life…”
8. The women are “invisible” because their real identities are
9. overshadowed by their social roles (mother, wife, daughter, teacher).
10. The women were searching for something …just out of reach.

Last Thoughts:

1. “Well, I’ll be washed and ironed and starched!”  (chapter,  Queer)
2. Finally a book on Modern Library List 100 Best Novels
3. …that I enjoyed!
4. #Classic – #MustRead