Paterson (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: William Carlos Williams
- First Published: 1946
- Type of Work: Poetry
- Type of Plot: Epic
- Time of Work: 1946-1958
- Setting: Paterson, New Jersey
- Genres: Poetry
- Subjects: 1950’s
- Locales: Paterson, NJ
Characters Discussed
William Carlos Williams, also called Bill, who inhabits bits and pieces of the epic poem, sometimes as himself and sometimes as another persona who more resembles a character. The author includes himself as a character to add legitimacy to his use of Paterson, New Jersey, and the Passaic River as characters; clearly, they are personifications. Williams is present in one incarnation or another to explain his theory about how a city can come to represent its inhabitants and may even be representative of the American character. Williams tells many stories and...
[The entire page is 798 words long]
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