Portrayal Of Men In The Novels Of Wallace Stegner : An Analysis

The novels of Wallace Stegner deal with Man in the male-dominated West. The first chapter, focuses on the distinction between the popular Westerns and the western novels which have literary value. It offers a brief survey of the literary scene before the arrival of Stegner. The second chapter "The Valiant Struggle" analyses Stegner's novel The Big Rock Candy Mountain, which spins around Bruce Mason and his attainability of manhood which leads to the forgiveness of his father. The third chapter "To Forgive is Divine" is a study of Stegner's novel Angle of Repose, which revolves around Lyman Ward, the fifty-eight year old history professor, who has found a solution from the past for his problematic present, which ultimately helps him to discover himself. The fourth chapter "Road to Understanding" deals with Stegner's novel All the Little Live Things. The novel is structured around the protagonist, Joe Allston, the literary agent, who is able to come to terms with the World. The concluding chapter tries to assign a place for Stegner in the tradition of the American novel. It highlights Stegner's involvement in handling characters.