The Literature Book

DEPICTING REAL LIFE

some critics suggested that the

governess was hysterical rather

than haunted—the story has been

influential, paving the way for

subsequent tales of innocent

children possessed by evil spirits.

THE AWAKENING

(1899), KATE CHOPIN

Set in New Orleans, The Awakening

by American writer Kate Chopin

(1851–1904) tells the story of Edna

Pontellier and her struggle to break

free from the restrictions imposed

upon her by both marriage and

motherhood. Pontellier seeks her

“awakening” through two sexual

affairs, but more importantly through

independent thinking, art, music,

and swimming. With its explicit

portrayal of marital infidelity and

female independence, the novel

shocked readers and critics, and

was censored on its first publication.

Today it is regarded as a landmark

feminist novel and an early example

of Southern literature.

LORD JIM

(1900), JOSEPH CONRAD

Lord Jim, by Polish-born English

novelist Joseph Conrad (see p.197),

describes the efforts of Jim, a young

British seaman, to overcome an act

of unwitting cowardice that leaves

his name tarnished. Helped by a

sea captain, Marlow, who narrates

much of the story, Jim becomes

“Tuan” (lord) of Patusan—a fictional

South Seas country—and

ultimately overcomes his guilt

through self-sacrifice. The novel is

notable not just for its exploration of

idealism and heroism, but also for

its sophisticated use of a frame

narrative structure.

SISTER CARRIE

(1900), THEODORE DREISER

The first novel by American novelist,

journalist, and socialist Theodore

Dreiser (1871–1945), Sister Carrie

concerns the young woman of the

title, Carrie, who leaves her home in

Wisconsin for Chicago. She finds

work in a shoe factory, but after two

affairs—one with a married man—

finally achieves success and wealth

in a stage career. Dreiser’s publisher,

Doubleday, accepted the book but

considered the subject matter so

shocking in the moralistic climate

of fin-de-siecle America that they

delayed publication, altering the

text and agreeing to only a limited

print run. An uncut version did not

appear until 1981.

UNCLE VANYA

(1897), ANTON CHEKHOV

A masterly study of aimlessness

and hopelessness, Uncle Vanya is

thought by many to be Chekhov’s

finest work. Set on a country estate

in turn-of-the-century Russia, the

play focuses on estate manager

Voynitsky (Uncle Vanya), estate

owner Professor Serebvryakov

and his second wife Yelena and

daughter Sonya, and Sonya’s

unrequited love for local physician

Astrov. Vanya, frustrated by his

wasted life and failure to seduce the

beautiful Yelena, attempts to shoot

Serebvryakov but fails. The play

ends with nothing having changed.

THE TURN OF THE SCREW

(1898), HENRY JAMES

A novella by American writer Henry

James (see p.187), The Turn of the

Screw is one of the best-known

ghost stories ever written. Narrated

mainly through the diary of a

governess, the story describes her

struggle to save her young charges,

Flora and Miles, from the demonic

clutches of two deceased former

servants. Ambiguous in approach—

203

Anton Chekhov

Celebrated as one of the

greatest Russian playwrights,

Anton Chekhov was born in

1860. He became a doctor
      and, despite writing prolifically,
      continued practicing medicine,
      once describing the latter as
      “his lawful wife” and literature
      as his “mistress.” Initially it
      was short stories that brought
      him fame—in 1888 he won the
      Pushkin Prize for his short story
      The Steppe. From the 1890s he
      produced the plays for which
      he is remembered, which were
      performed at the Moscow Art
      Theatre. He married actress
      Olga Knipper in 1901 but died
      of tuberculosis in 1904.

Key works

1897 The Seagull

1897 Uncle Vanya (see left)

1904 The Cherry Orchard

Whatever I had seen, Miles

and Flora saw more—things

terrible and unguessable ...

The Turn of the Screw

Henry James

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