The Making of Americans (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Gertrude Stein
- First Published: 1925
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: Sixty years, probably during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
- Setting: Bridgepoint (Baltimore) and Gossols (Oakland)
- Principal Characters: Henry Dehning, Mrs. Dehning, Julia Dehning, David Hersland, David Hersland, Fanny Hissen Hersland, Martha Hersland, Alfred Hersland, David Hersland, Phillip Redfern, Madeleine Wyman
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Impressionistic literature, Autobiographical fiction, Satire
- Subjects: Family or family life, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, Marriage, Class consciousness, American Dream, California, West, U.S., Ethnic groups, Ethnic relations, Business or business people, Ambition, Existentialism
- Locales: Baltimore, MD, Bridgepoint (fictive), Gossols (fictive)
The Story:
The Dehning and Hersland families’ American history began with their immigrant grandparents’ separate journeys to America. Both families settled in Bridgepoint. Years later, the two families came together when Julia Dehning, who was connected with the old world because she was named after her grandmother, wanted to marry Alfred Hersland. Her father cautioned her not to encourage Alfred’s advances. Although Julia quietly felt a vague dread about Alfred’s plans for her father’s money, she resisted Henry Dehning’s hesitation and he slowly began to accept...
[The entire page is 2431 words long]
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