As I first contemplated this question, I thought of the contrasting stories of Burnham and Holmes. I believed that Larson wanted to show how two innovative, determined characters chose different paths in life and the outcomes of these paths.
Then I dug a bit deeper and came to a realization that Larson's main purpose was to show the American character at the time. While he did mainly focus on the narratives of Burnham and Holmes, he included multiple anecdotes pertaining to all different types of Americans. Through the stories of Burnham and Holmes he was able to show the uncomfortable situation which America was struggling with; they desired fame and recognition, but crime and evil seemed to be inevitable. The brief anecdotes, which Larson provides, shed light onto the other facets and aspects of American society at the time such as immigration, women's rights, social class strife and unions.
No comments:
Post a Comment