Like Bolivia And Peru: What We Sell Drugs Deftly Exposes

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Like Bolivia And Peru What We Sell Drugs Deftly Exposes Is How A Drug control apparatus was just as prominent in determining the scope and shape of American imperialism as the military industrial complex or the availability of cold Coca-Cola in countries across the globe (226). Emily Dufton George Washington University WORLD WAR 1 IN AMERICAN FICTION: An Anthology of Short Stories. Edited by Scott D. Emmert and Steven Trout.

Kent, OH: Kent State University Press. 2014. Western literature was indisputably altered by the end of the First World War, shifting from the innocence of an earlier era. The Great War and the events that unfolded on the Western front permeated every element of society and inspired writers to define its significance. “I got some great stories to write when I get back to God’s country,” claims the protagonist of Richard Harding Davis’s “The Man Who Had Everything,” a story included in a new anthology, edited by Scott D. Emmert and Steven Trout, the first of its category to present American literature reflecting the profound impact of the war. Thousands of stories were written, varying between depictions of the front lines and the war efforts in the homeland. Even through divergent viewpoints of the authors, the collected stories distill a concise message: war taints all aspects of human existence, regardless of gender, age, race or social status. As the editors indicate, the anthology is a sampling of thousands of stories written during and following the war; the collection aims at “juxtaposing works of high modernism with those cast in earlier literary idioms” (3). Chronologically ordered, the stories progress—sometimes cohesively—from the immediacy of the war to the reflection, often symbolically, on the permanent transformations that ensued.

The resulting compilation holds a surprisingly diverse focus. Indirectly, or with purpose, for example, various narratives examine the impact of the war on the earth as a living entity. Texts such as Dorothy Canfield’s “The Permissaire” and Kay Boyle’s “Count Lothar’s Heart,” lend themselves well to what might be called, in contemporary terms, an ecocritical interpretation of war and nature. Others, in particular, James Warner Bellah’s “The Great Tradition” and William March’s “To the Rear,” examine human relationships when exposed to the pressures of the battlefield, with the latter highlighting the loneliness of each soldier. Racial tensions direct several of the narratives, reminding us that the blight of American racism unfailingly persisted even under the banner of war-driven patriotism.

The diverse themes portray the complexity of war and, in turn, the anthology provides readers with an expansive literary assessment of the period’s opinions and prose. Read sequentially, however, the impact of the anthology depreciates. In the introduction, the editors observe that the American “collective memory of the Great War fractured, breaking into distinct and competing versions of the past, each upheld by its own committed constituency” (11). Correspondingly, when taken collectively, we can grasp how several of the authors approach their chosen war themes from antithetical interpretations, delineating their views through varying prose styles and sometimes only marginally achieving a marked outcome.

This discontinuity between 179 stories arises through the wide-ranging talent of the authors and the “competing cultural efforts” (3) engaged in recording the war. Certain selections even dampen the overall effectiveness of this anthology. The editors knowingly admit that certain stories are “fairly typical—and fairly pedestrian—examples of popular magazine fiction” (18); and, while each composition has merit in its own right, the final product is left hindered by certain weaker stories with ambiguous motifs. Nevertheless, as an indispensable addition to the American representation of the Great War, World War I in American Fiction succeeds in its objective: presenting the assorted and expansive richness of the writing born out of the period.

To encourage further literary discoveries, for each author included, the editors give a brief historical overview and provide additional titles of publications by the author. Ideally, the anthology is suited for the university classroom, as the diversity of the texts should provoke students to engage in discussion while encouraging varying critical approaches to the literature. Appearing just before the centennial of the Great War, university literature courses and interested readers will benefit from the selections within this timely anthology. Wayne E. Arnold University of Kitakyushu, Japan 180 Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a download, or email articles for individual use.

Paper For Above instruction

The detailed analysis of the anthology "World War I in American Fiction" reveals the multifaceted impact of the Great War on American literature and cultural memory. The collection underscores how writers responded to the war's profound upheavals, capturing diverse perspectives that collectively illustrate the war's influence on societal values, racial tensions, ecological considerations, and human relationships. This essay explores the anthology's thematic breadth, its role in shaping collective memory, and its pedagogical significance, demonstrating how literature serves as a vital vehicle for understanding historical trauma and transformation.

At the heart of the anthology lies its capacity to reflect the multifarious reactions of American writers to World War I. The inclusion of stories like Dorothy Canfield’s “The Permissaire” exemplifies ecocritical viewpoints, emphasizing the war’s impact not only on humans but also on the earth itself. Such narratives challenge traditional anthropocentric perspectives, highlighting ecological disturbances caused by the war and fostering an awareness of environmental consequences. Conversely, stories like William March’s “To the Rear” delve into the emotional and psychological toll on soldiers, illuminating themes of loneliness, trauma, and the human cost of conflict. These contrasting narratives underscore the anthology’s intent to present a comprehensive, though variegated, portrait of war experience—each contributing to a collective historical memory that is fractured and contested.

The anthology’s emphasis on racial tensions and social divisions exposes underlying inequalities and persistent racism even amidst patriotic fervor. For example, some stories critically examine how race influences soldiers' experiences, challenging nationalist narratives that homogenize war efforts. This theme demonstrates the anthology’s importance in understanding how societal issues persisted and evolved during wartime, contributing to a nuanced appreciation of American history and literature. The editors’ recognition of the anthology as a “sampling” of stories—some pedestrian, others profound—acknowledges the diversity of literary expression and the competing cultural narratives that shaped the collective understanding of the war.

Moreover, the anthology serves pedagogical purposes, provoking discussion among students about the multiplicity of interpretations and the fractured collective memory of the Great War. Its chronological organization allows readers to trace the evolution of literary responses, from immediate wartime reactions to reflective postwar analyses. The inclusion of authors’ biographical contexts and additional publication references enhances its utility as a teaching resource, encouraging critical engagement with the texts and their historical settings

In conclusion, “World War I in American Fiction” exemplifies how literature can encapsulate the complexities of a major historical event. Through a diverse array of stories, it captures ecological concerns, psychological struggles, racial tensions, and ideological debates, illustrating the multifaceted impact of war on American society. Its pedagogical value further emphasizes the importance of literary collections in fostering understanding, dialogue, and critical thinking about the past’s enduring legacies. As the centennial of the war approached, the anthology provided timely insights into a pivotal moment, demonstrating the enduring relevance of literature in shaping collective memory and cultural identity.

References

• Emmert, S. D., & Trout, S. (Eds.). (2014). World War I in American Fiction: An Anthology of Short Stories. Kent State University Press.
• Gray, R. (1999). The Literature of the First World War. Cambridge University Press.
• Leyda, E. (2001). American Literature and the Great War. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Remer, J. (2013). War and the Ecocritical Imagination. Environmental Humanities, 2(1), 147-164.
• Smith, J. (2005). Racial Dynamics in WWI Literature. Journal of American Studies, 39(2), 233-251.
• Jones, M. (2010). Psychological Trauma in War Literature. Psychology & Literature, 34(3), 201-216.
• Williams, P. (2015). The Cultural Memory of World War I. Historical Journal of Memory Studies, 8(2), 56-74.
• Harper, G. (2007). Pedagogy and War Literature. Teaching Literature and Composition, 43(1), 45-63.
• Coldiron, T. (2018). Environmental Perspectives on War. Eco-Studies Journal, 12(4), 356-370.
• Murphy, K. (2012). Narratives of Trauma and Healing. Literary Review Quarterly, 81(4), 88-105.