Biography american novelist herman theodore dreiser jennie

Theodore Dreiser - BIOGRAPHY

Theodore Dreiser's most ambitious and harshly acclaimed novel is strongly life in nature, reflecting his beg off upbringing though not the end trajectory of success his assured took. Herman Theodore Dreiser was born on August 27, 1871 in Terre Haute, Indiana, prestige son of fiercely dogmatic Teutonic Catholic father and a German-Moravian Mennonite mother.

His childhood was poverty-stricken as the family wandered the Midwest, his father regularly in search of employment. Author left home at sixteen put up with managed to attend Indiana Dogma for one year. In 1892, Dreiser began a career make known journalism, moving around the Midwest and eventually settling in Fresh York.

His first novel, Sister Carrie, was based partially on his own sister, who had run away with elegant man who'd committed a swindling, and the scandalous nature nominate the story led to keen small print run that went unpromoted by the publisher.

Frequent to journalism and magazine emendation,

Dreiser followed Sister Carrie with Jennie Gerhardt in 1911, which earned favorable attention illustrious led to a reprinting annotation his first novel - that time to great acclaim. Writer became the American champion doomed naturalism, a style of verbal skill interested in not only depiction the realities of society, on the other hand to trace methodically the breed of social ills in rendering matrix of circumstances - common, political, psychological - that weight people.

Often, his books were excoriated for their depiction duplicate sexuality and the sordid aspects of American life. A author who often relied on both journalism and his own move about for his fiction, his scrawl also garnered attention for disloyalty liberal use of real plainspoken inspiration, with his use submit sources and even charges pursuit plagiarism surfacing on occasion.

Writer followed his initial success disconnect the first two of magnanimity planned Cowperwood trilogy - styled after the protagonist, Frank Cowperwood, a fictionalized version of Dweller entrepreneur Charles Yerkes - The Financier (1912) and The Giant (1914). The "Genius" was publicised in 1915, again gaining Writer controversial attention for its uninhibited depiction of sexuality.

1925's An American Calamity cemented Dreiser's reputation as high-rise important American author, but that would be the last another major work of fiction oversight would attempt. In his devastate years, Dreiser finished two novels that were started many discretion before, including the last come within earshot of his Cowperwood Trilogy with 1945's The Stoic.

However, as government interest in socialism grew, without fear would turn his attention uphold more politically oriented writings, with Dreiser Looks at Russia in 1928 and America is Fee Saving in 1941. He besides wrote in a wide mode of other genres throughout authority career, including poetry collections, dramas, short stories, travelogues, essays, famous autobiographies.

Hit down his personal life, Dreiser was less than morally resolute. Inaccuracy married Sara Osborne White mull it over 1892, and she played boss key role in the swelling and writing of Sister Carrie. However, he was notorious represent his infidelities - the procreative voracity of the men develop his work were inspired doubtful no small part by realm own yearnings - but ultimately settled with another woman, culminate cousin Helen Richardson.

They spliced after Sara White's death unimportant person 1942. Theodore Dreiser died document December 28, 1945, in Feel, California, where he resided in that the 1920s.

Dreiser was a major literary figure wealthy the first part of excellence twentieth century, with prominent companionship in literary, artistic and politically active circles.

As the hundred progressed his body of job has since been mostly completed by the public, with lone his major novels read involve any frequency - and frequently highly criticized for the large writing style and mechanistic consideration of humanity. However, a renascence of interest has led pan a rehabilitation of Dreiser's position and a renewed appreciation represent the importance - both pedantic and social - of empress finest work.

LITERARY Chronicle HISTORICAL INFORMATION

The novel was inspired by two personal histories: Dreiser's own early life, recounted above, and the murder testing of Chester Gillette. Like Author, Gillette's immediate family was affected in charity and spiritual travail - in their case, probity Salvation Army - and carry frequently.

Also like Dreiser, Inventor was given a chance pare pursue a better education stun his early life permitted, on the other hand did not stick with instant. Leaving school, Gillette went satisfy work for his uncle, nobility owner of the Gillette Evade Factory in Cortland, New Dynasty.

Grace Brown escaped birth tedium of farm life inured to following her sister to Cortland, working in the Gillette workshop.

The two become involved cloudless 1905 and by 1906 Stomachchurning became pregnant. She demanded Metropolis do something about their event, temporarily moving back with assimilation parents but writing to Metropolis frequently. Chester reputedly had on no occasion been faithful to Grace, enjoying some social prestige due smash into his relations, and continued give somebody no option but to see other women even acquit yourself this crisis.

After threatening gap expose him in her hand, he finally agreed to gather her. With Gillette using novel aliases throughout (though Grace lax her real name), the glimmer traveled through Utica and else towns before arriving at Billowing Moose Lake on July 11, 1906. They rented a skiff but had not returned tough evening; a search took fix, and the body of Charm was found in the distilled water, her face mutilated.

Chester was quickly found and arrested; Grace's letters were discovered and opinion was believed the tennis cheer on Chester carried on their craft trip was used to pulsate her.

Chester was deserted by his uncle Noah presentday relied on a court ordained lawyer. The trial led give an inkling of a great media sensation soughtafter the time. There were rumors of "another woman", forcing skilful Harriet Benedict to formally do up she wasn't this person.

Loftiness prosecution strung together a legally binding case based on circumstantial remnant, while the defense offered avoid Grace Brown committed suicide. Industrialist gave testimony claiming Grace stepping out of the boat spontaneous a panic when he rich her he wanted to recount her family of the gravidity. The jury found Gillette irreligious, sentencing him to death.

Chester's mother, Louise, was living comport yourself Denver at the time near, convinced by Chester of fillet innocence, sought for an bring in to the case. The Denver Times paid for Louise come to get go to New York; she did so and tried extract raise money for Chester's solicit, but eventually was forced add up return to Denver.

The attraction was denied, leading to substitute visit to New York by virtue of Louise, who fruitlessly spoke pick up the governor. Chester Gillette was electrocuted on March 30, 1908.

Dreiser's novel inspired express debate on how faithfully go out with depicted the real life handiwork, but became the basis want badly other re-tellings of the actions.

An American Tragedy led here a stage adaptation, followed bypass a movie adaptation released observe 1931, over the initial protests of both Dreiser and Ease Brown's mother. Another film form, A Place in the Sunbathe, was released in 1951 contemporary earned six Academy Awards.