Major American Writers Essays - Robert Frost, Frost,

Major American Writers The honored title of "Major American Writer" tends to be ambiguous and ill defined in part because each individual reader holds preconceived notions about what characteristics a writer should possess to be classified as a major author. Every work an author creates combines with the others to form a body of material on which the writer is judged. This class on Major American Writers studied five authors with completely different genres, writing styles, and general appeal. The choice for these particular authors was based on criteria unique to the instructor. Since every reader requires different characteristics, this paper will outline my specific criteria for a Major American Writer and apply those to Robert Frost and Henry James. Frost is a perfect example as defined by my characteristics of a major writer. His work embodies all the features necessary to categorize him as such. While James's work is well critiqued and studied, he does not meet my criteria for a major writer. His work falls short in some of the fundamental requirements. There are four specific criteria by which I define a Major American Writer. The most important for the significance of an author is the relevance of the writings to human nature. Timeless works of literature or poetry connect with the audiences' innermost emotions. The nature of the world is constant change and if the work of an author is not able to transcend the change it will be forgotten or obsolete. One thing constant enough to be the focus of the work is the human condition. Another criterion for a Major American Writer is that the substance of the work must also engage the reader. Writing cannot be effective without an audience. If the author has no impact on people the material written accomplished nothing. Engagement may come about through the entertainment value or intellectual interest, neither being of greater importance. Style as well as substance is necessary when discussing criteria for an author to be a Major American Writer. The technical aspects of a work, such as narrator and form, are important in a work because they are ways to distinguish a superb writer from a mediocre writer. The last criterion for a Major American Writer is the overall impact on literature. Major authors should have the ability to reshape or redefine literature or public thought in some manner. Considerations of the author's contributions to the genre as well as the world of literature are consequential when deciding to include the writer in the category of a major writer. Not every author who is considered as a major writer needs to totally fulfill all the criteria set forth. There are many other considerations that could qualify an author for this honor. These four conditions are simply a starting point for qualification. The first writer I chose to examine is Robert Frost. He expressly fulfills all four criteria for qualification as a "Major American Writer". Many of his poems deal with the innermost workings of the human experience. He beautifully illustrates difficult to explain emotions with prose and poetry. His poem "The Road Not Taken" reveals the conflict between choices made and choices passed. This is not something easily expressed in words, but Frost eloquently makes his point. The second criterion Frost meets is the engagement of the reader. The excellence in his work lies in the fact that anyone can read and enjoy his writings. There are levels of meaning that can be read in a very basic, literal manner or studied for complexity of meaning so as to engage lay readers or scholars. "After Apple-Picking" is as much about picking apples as it is about life and death. Frost's writing style also helps his writing to be accessible and to engage the reader. This writing form fulfills the third criterion for a "Major American Writer." His style of blank verse and unrhymed lines give the poetry a tone of normal conversation. The technique is followed almost continually throughout his poetry revealing his dedication to the technical aspect of writing as well as the artistic. Metaphors are present in his work but not dominating to the point of convolution. They relate to the actual events in the poem and attribute the work a deeper meaning. A lyrical poet with a passive style, Frost allows the audience to decide the meaning of the poem. He attempts not to show too much personal influence on the reader's understanding. Frost's work left a legacy on the world that will not soon be forgotten. A modernist poet, he combined