The “Genius” (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Theodore Dreiser
- First Published: 1915
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Naturalism
- Time of Work: 1889-1914
- Setting: Alexandria and Chicago, Illinois, and New York
- Principal Characters: Eugene Witla, Thomas Witla, Sylvia, Stella Appleton, Angela Blue, Margaret Duff, Ruby Kenny, Miriam Finch, Christina Channing, Anatole Charles, Frieda Roth, Carlotta Wilson, Daniel Summerfield, Obadiah Kalvin, Marshall P. Colfax, Florence J. White, Mrs. Emily Dale, Suzanne, Mrs. Johns
- Genres: Long fiction, Naturalistic literature
- Subjects: Values, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Sex or sexuality, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, New York City, Marriage, Midwest, Painting or painters, Success or failure, Christian Science
- Locales: New York, Chicago, IL
The Story:
Eugene Witla, a sensitive seventeen-year-old boy, lived with his parents and two sisters in Alexandria, Illinois. Eugene had little idea of what he wanted to do, although his aspirations were vaguely artistic. His father, a sewing machine agent and a respectable member of the middle class, got him a job setting type for the local newspaper. He fell in love with a local girl named Stella Appleton, but even this did not keep him from leaving the small town and going to Chicago to seek his fortune.
In Chicago, Eugene at first supported himself by moving stoves,...
[The entire page is 2181 words long]
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