The defining characteristics of the American novel of war as found in American poems, short stories, dramas, and memoirs of war -- War as central action -- The violence of war -- The rhetoric of war -- The equipage of war -- Death of fighting peers -- Death of noncombatants -- Omnipresent death and destruction -- The oppositional dyad between occupying/invading forces and indigenous/local peoples -- The oppositional dyad between officers and enlisted men -- The terrain/weather as enemy -- The burning/fire motif -- Prostitution -- The absurdity of war.
Summary:
"This work establishes the American Novel of War as its own sub-genre within the greater American Literature of War genre. Each chapter identifies a defining characteristic, analyzes existing criticism, and explores the characteristic in American war novels of record. Topics include violence, war rhetoric, the death of noncombatants, and terrain as an enemy"--Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.