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5THE INFLUENCE OF WWII IN AMERICAN LITERATURE
SUYUNOVA Maftuna
Phd student at the National University of Uzbekistan after named Mirzo Ulugbek [email protected] https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11109689
Abstract. In this article, it is discussed WWII and its impact on American literature. Also, the views of some critics about the works written on the subject of war are considered. In the cited works, the views of the writers about the war are discussed.
Key words: war, military hierarchy, true stories, "the good war", style, technique.
The literature of the Second World War has emerged as an accomplished, moving, and challenging body of work, produced by writers as different as Norman Mailer and Virginia Woolf, Primo Levi and Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre and W. H. Auden. This Counterpart provides a comprehensive overview of the international literatures of the war: both those works that recorded or reflected experiences of the war as it happened, and those that tried to make sense of it afterwards. It surveys the writing produced in the major combatant nations (Britain and the Commonwealth, the USA, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, and the USSR), and explores its common themes. However, it is known that the United States came in to the war late, despite this its cost in blood and treasure for the nation was astounding. More than 400,000 people were dead and over 600,000 wounded. These astonishing changes are symbolized by the two of the most war related creations: the former is the atomic bomb and the latter one is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [1:56]
It is worth emphasizing that the instant fictional response to the war was not expected to watershed in such tumult. A great deal of readable, competent and lavishly celebrated like Irwin Shaw's engaging its formulaic "The Young Lions" (1948) or Herman Wouk's formal but irresistible novel "The Cainy Mutiny" (1951) though few of these novels marked new directions for the literature, still some of the literary critics give their extended attention to them. However, that's a very astute observation. The choice of perspective in military novels can greatly impact the portrayal of characters, themes, and overall narrative structure. By focusing on enlisted men or commissioned officers, authors can delve deeply into the unique challenges, emotions, and experiences faced by individuals at different ranks within the military hierarchy. This allows for a more nuanced exploration of themes such as leadership, camaraderie, power dynamics, and the impact of war on individuals. Books that aim to incorporate multiple perspectives, such as "The Naked and the Dead," provide readers with a more comprehensive view of military life by showcasing the interactions and relationships between individuals of varying ranks. [2:31]
This approach can offer a more balanced and inclusive portrayal of the diverse experiences within the armed forces, highlighting the complexities of military culture and the ways in which individuals from different backgrounds navigate the challenges of war. By exploring the perspectives of both enlisted men and commissioned officers, authors can create a richer and more multifaceted narrative that captures the full spectrum of human experiences within the military. This diversity in storytelling approaches helps to illuminate the complexities of military life and allows readers to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives and experiences of those who serve in the armed forces.
According to the Walter Hobling, most authors preferred choosing the type of novel which tell their true stories and most of them published between 1945-1958, there is also an abundant body of poetry, several significant plays that reflect the understandings of "the good war" (as the Second World War came to be known) and memoirs, personal narratives, letters, diaries too copious to cited individually here. [3:214]
One of the great American literary critic Malcolm Cowley gives his postwar assessment in a humorous way: "One might say that a great many novels of the Second World War are based on Dos Passos for structure, since they have collective heroes in the Dos Passos fashion, and since he invented a series of structural devices for dealing with such heroes in unified works offiction. At the same time, they are based on Scott Fitzgerald for mood, on Steinbeck for humor, and on Hemingway for action and dialogue." [4:41]
From his point of view, we can understand that most of American novels about WWII were achieved by the previous war in formal as well as thematically. In particular, the innovative writers of WWI Dos Passos, Faulkner, Fitzgerald and Hemingway were minority among their contemporaries but the first generation of WWII writers widely adopted and developed the styles and narrative techniques of their immediate predecessors. This observation highlights an interesting shift in the influence of older American novelists on the works of writers during different periods. In the 1920s, writers were grappling with the aftermath of World War I and societal changes, leading them to seek out new traditions in American literature that could reflect the shifting cultural landscape. The breakdown of older literary traditions or their inability to resonate with contemporary audiences prompted these writers to experiment with new forms, styles, and themes to create a fresh literary tradition. On the other hand, in the middle of the 20th century, American writers were more focused on developing and expanding upon existing literary traditions that had already been established. This period saw a greater emphasis on building upon the foundations laid by earlier generations of writers and critics, leading to a more nuanced exploration of established themes and techniques in American literature. The reference to some writers being "entirely too faithful to the tradition as expounded by the newer critics" suggests a tension between innovation and tradition in American fiction. While some writers may have been overly deferential to contemporary critical trends or literary conventions, others may have sought to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling to create works that were more reflective of their own unique perspectives and experiences.
Overall, this observation underscores the dynamic relationship between tradition and innovation in American literature, highlighting how writers in different periods have grappled with the legacy of older novelists while also seeking to carve out their own distinct literary paths.
References:
1. Marina Mackay. The Cambridge companion to the literature of World War II: Cambridge University Press 2009 p: 250
2. Malcolm Cowley, The Literary Situation Published by Viking, 1954. Octavo p:259
3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292012841 The Second World War American writing
4. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292012841_The_Second_World_War_American_ writing
5. https://www.academia.edu/100431655/The_Themes_of_American_and_Uzbek_War_Novels
6. https://www.academia.edu/101622104/WWII in American and Uzbek prose of 1960 90 es_plots_motifs_characters_
7. https://www.academia.edu/101622240/Time structure in Jozeph Hellers novel Catch 22
