Home > The Promise of American Life Summary & Study Guide > Essays and Criticism > Essays and Criticism

• Study Guide
• Group

The Promise of American Life | Essays and Criticism

• Faith in Human Nature

  Kattelman is a freelance writer and holds a Ph.D. in theatre from Ohio State University. In this essay, Kattelman considers how Croly’s strong faith in human nature provides one of the main weaknesses in his political argument.

• The Influence of Croly's Book

  Ozersky is a critic, essayist and American cultural historian. In this essay, Ozersky discusses why Herbert Croly’s barely remembered book was so influential—and what that influence reveals about both Croly’s time and our own.

• Croly's Success

  In the following essay excerpt, McClay examines Croly’s success in ‘‘presenting a vision of what a fully consolidated and nationalized American polity and society might look like.’’

Join eNotes

Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!

Navigate

1. The Promise of American Life: Introduction
2. The Promise of American Life: Summary
3. The Promise of American Life: Herbert Croly Biography
4. The Promise of American Life: Characters
5. The Promise of American Life: Themes
6. The Promise of American Life: Style
7. The Promise of American Life: Historical Context
8. The Promise of American Life: Critical Overview
9. The Promise of American Life: Essays and Criticism
   1. Faith in Human Nature
   2. The Influence of Croly's Book
   3. Croly's Success
10. The Promise of American Life: Compare and Contrast
11. The Promise of American Life: Topics for Further Study
12. The Promise of American Life: What Do I Read Next?
13. The Promise of American Life: Bibliography and Further Reading
14. The Promise of American Life: Pictures
15. Copyright

Tell a friend about The Promise of American Life at eNotes.