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Mythic Mailer in An American Dream: Difference between revisions
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In support of interpreting ''An American Dream'' as a myth, I begin by citing Joseph L. Blotner's description of mythic exegesis of literature: | In support of interpreting ''An American Dream'' as a myth, I begin by citing Joseph L. Blotner's description of mythic exegesis of literature: | ||
<blockquote>When meaningful, coherent, and illuminating parallels are discerned, the work may be interpreted in terms of the myth. Often what appears fragmentary or only partly disclosed in the work may be revealed as complete and explicit through the myth .... It is not an interior approach asserting that myth was present at the conception and execution of the work; it rather asserts that myth may be brought to the work at its reading.{{sfn|Blotner|1956|p=548}}</blockquote> | |||
I believe that bringing a mythic perspective to ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' is the best way to understand it because myth forms the structural and thematical core of the book. Myths often appear to have unrealistic plots and incredible characters because they deal with the universal and the extreme. In this paper I will attempt to demonstrate this mythic relationship in three ways. I will begin by establishing that myth and Mailer's particular cosmology underlie and inform the romantic nature of this novel. Next, I intend to discuss how the mythic elements Mailer uses in this work contribute to the evolving myth of America. In conclusion, I will show how the novel's particularly American hero, Stephen Rojack, and his ultimate feat--his walk upon the parapet, relate to specific ancient and modern myths. In addition, I will note that although Mailer does not use only one myth to tell his story (he borrows from many myths), his protagonist Stephen Rojack follows the basic quest-myth or monomyth as described by Joseph Campbell in ''The Hero With a Thousand Faces''. | I believe that bringing a mythic perspective to ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' is the best way to understand it because myth forms the structural and thematical core of the book. Myths often appear to have unrealistic plots and incredible characters because they deal with the universal and the extreme. In this paper I will attempt to demonstrate this mythic relationship in three ways. I will begin by establishing that myth and Mailer's particular cosmology underlie and inform the romantic nature of this novel. Next, I intend to discuss how the mythic elements Mailer uses in this work contribute to the evolving myth of America. In conclusion, I will show how the novel's particularly American hero, Stephen Rojack, and his ultimate feat--his walk upon the parapet, relate to specific ancient and modern myths. In addition, I will note that although Mailer does not use only one myth to tell his story (he borrows from many myths), his protagonist Stephen Rojack follows the basic quest-myth or monomyth as described by Joseph Campbell in ''The Hero With a Thousand Faces''. | ||
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Ironically, most critics who are unhappy with the book mention its lack of realism. In some ways, Mailer uses the mythic aspects of ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' to explore his own concept of reality. Mailer basically thinks in mythic terms; he is a mythic realist {{sfn|Adams|1975|p=211}}. When asked about the basis of reality in this particular novel, Mailer replied: | Ironically, most critics who are unhappy with the book mention its lack of realism. In some ways, Mailer uses the mythic aspects of ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' to explore his own concept of reality. Mailer basically thinks in mythic terms; he is a mythic realist {{sfn|Adams|1975|p=211}}. When asked about the basis of reality in this particular novel, Mailer replied: | ||
<blockquote|There wasn't a single phenomenon in that book that I consider dream-like or fanciful or fantastical. To me, it was a realistic book, but a realistic book at that place where extraordinary things are happening. I believe the experience of extraordinary people in extraordinary situations is not like our ordinary realistic experience at all.{{sfn|Adams|1975|p=211-212}} </blockquote> | |||
To Mailer, intensifying the realistic action deepens the mythic dimension of his work. However, myth does not function easily in realistic genres. Ernst Cassirer writes that myth itself is "incoherent, capricious, irrational" | To Mailer, intensifying the realistic action deepens the mythic dimension of his work. However, myth does not function easily in realistic genres. Ernst Cassirer writes that myth itself is "incoherent, capricious, irrational" {{sfn|Mailer|1964-65|p=18}}. Laura Adams states that "one of the mistakes many critics made in first reviewing it [''<u>An American Dream</u>''] was to take it too literally" {{sfn|Adams|1975|p=210}}. Merrill agrees with Adams: "to read ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' as a realistic novel is to misread it altogether"{{sfn|Merrill|1978|p=69}}. Such critics misunderstand how myth structures the book and deepens its universality. | ||
Mailer puts mythic form into his novel in order to add universal significance to Rojack's quest. In both primitive and advanced societies, myth has addressed the human need to acquire a sense of meaning from a seemingly formless and chaotic existence. Joseph Campbell describes the inherent purpose of myth: "Getting into harmony and tune with the universe and staying there is the principal function of mythology" | Mailer puts mythic form into his novel in order to add universal significance to Rojack's quest. In both primitive and advanced societies, myth has addressed the human need to acquire a sense of meaning from a seemingly formless and chaotic existence. Joseph Campbell describes the inherent purpose of myth: "Getting into harmony and tune with the universe and staying there is the principal function of mythology"{{sfn|Campbell|1990|p=1-2}}. Campbell's conception of getting in tune with the universe is not a scientific and rational process; thus myth necessarily appeals to our non-rational side. Mailer has long been concerned with the overly rational, scientific aspect of American culture. In some ways, ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' is a mythic weapon Mailer uses in his personal battle with our overly technological society. This use of his novel echoes Rojack's use of myth as a weapon against the evils of his society. | ||
The most astute critics realize that Mailer is writing his myth in the tradition of the 19th-century American romantics, who were also concerned with the mixed blessings of scientific advancement. John Aldridge discusses ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' as working in | The most astute critics realize that Mailer is writing his myth in the tradition of the 19th-century American romantics, who were also concerned with the mixed blessings of scientific advancement. John Aldridge discusses ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' as working in | ||
<blockquote>the tradition of the prose romance, in which fantasy and fact, witchcraft and melodrama, myth, allegory, and realism combine to produce what Richard Chase has called "a profound poetry of disorder." | <blockquote>the tradition of the prose romance, in which fantasy and fact, witchcraft and melodrama, myth, allegory, and realism combine to produce what Richard Chase has called "a profound poetry of disorder."{{sfn|Aldidge|1966|p=161}}</blockquote> | ||
Mailer's characters are believable, although their actions are not always compatible with realism. However, Mailer believes that the characters in ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' are credible and that his plot is plausible. It is Mailer's melding of realism and romance that fuels the critical controversy. Ultimately, it is not the realistic Mailer, who produced The Naked and the Dead or The Executioner's Song, who is writing ''<u>An American Dream</u>'', but the romantic Mailer, echoing the romantics of the American Renaissance. Using elements of this genre, Mailer feels free to indulge himself by developing his own cosmology while giving his mythic work a particularly 20th-century flavor. Aldridge insists: | Mailer's characters are believable, although their actions are not always compatible with realism. However, Mailer believes that the characters in ''<u>An American Dream</u>'' are credible and that his plot is plausible. It is Mailer's melding of realism and romance that fuels the critical controversy. Ultimately, it is not the realistic Mailer, who produced The Naked and the Dead or The Executioner's Song, who is writing ''<u>An American Dream</u>'', but the romantic Mailer, echoing the romantics of the American Renaissance. Using elements of this genre, Mailer feels free to indulge himself by developing his own cosmology while giving his mythic work a particularly 20th-century flavor. Aldridge insists: | ||