Andre Dubus Criticism
Andre Dubus (1936–1999) stands out as a distinguished American short story writer, novelist, and essayist, recognized for his vivid and realistic fiction that unpacks the intricacies of human desires, disillusionment, and the moral challenges prevalent in contemporary American society. His stories are renowned for their authentic portrayal of the internal lives and emotional landscapes of his characters, particularly women, as highlighted in Eavesdropping on the Quotidian. Dubus's narratives serve as evocative snapshots of late twentieth-century America, blending traditional storytelling with profound introspection.
Raised in a Southern, Catholic family, Dubus infuses his writing with a nuanced exploration of moral and religious themes. His experiences in the U.S. Marine Corps and his subsequent studies at the University of Iowa further shaped his literary voice. In Massachusetts, Dubus emerged as a critical figure in American literature, adeptly addressing the turbulence inherent in male-female relationships, as observed in Some Good Moments. His stories frequently tackle themes of marital instability and adultery, echoing the ethical dilemmas and struggles of his characters.
Dubus's life and career were profoundly affected by a 1986 accident that led to the loss of his leg, a personal ordeal that deeply informed his later works, such as Broken Vessels and Dancing After Hours. During this period, Dubus's writing continued to grapple with themes of abrupt life changes, both harsh and graceful, as described in Dancing After Hours. His capability to convey life's complexities with sensitivity and depth is a hallmark of his oeuvre, maintaining his stories' vitality in the canon of American literature.
Despite some critics like Charles Deemer perceiving his work as somber, others, including Joyce Carol Oates, commend him for his "uncompromising" characters. The emotional depth and moral intricacies in Dubus's storytelling continue to resonate, as highlighted by critics in sources like True Confessions. His influence persists through his profound exploration of human relationships and the spiritual and ethical dimensions of everyday life.
Dubus's adeptness at portraying the nuanced dynamics between individuals and society is further underscored by critics such as Michael Harris, who acknowledges his blend of traditional storytelling with introspective depth in collections like Separate Flights. While Walter Sullivan notes repetitive themes and character uniformity, Dubus's work is celebrated for its genuine portrayal of female perspectives and complex emotions, as seen in "Miranda over the Valley." His stories evoke deep emotional responses, as argued by Frances Taliaferro, despite occasional variations in narrative quality. Richard Todd emphasizes Dubus's skill in dramatizing emotions like jealousy and pity, while Joyce Carol Oates highlights his naturalistic portrayal of ordinary characters, which adds symbolic depth to his storytelling. Dubus remains a significant figure in American literature, offering a compassionate and introspective lens on human experiences.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Dubus, Andre (Vol. 97)
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Eavesdropping on the Quotidian
(summary)
In the following review, he describes the stories in Separate Flights as snapshots of late twentieth-century American life and asserts that Dubus's fiction is characterized by finely crafted characters and believable circumstances.
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Some Good Moments
(summary)
In the following review, he suggests that the title story of Adultery, and Other Choices is most reflective of Dubus's talent for storytelling.
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These Days in the Holocene
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Perez offers a critical overview of Finding a Girl in America, suggesting that Dubus's stories provide a believable context for the dramatization of significant moral issues.
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Some August Fiction
(summary)
Pritchard is an American author and critic. In the following excerpt, he calls Dubus's portrayal of the everyday lives and secret agonies of ordinary people perceptive and realistic.
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Andre Dubus: A Study of the Short Fiction
(summary)
In the following interview, Dubus, with Kennedy, explores his deep connection to his characters, his intuitive writing process, and his perspectives on American culture, marriage, and violence, while also expressing admiration for various contemporary authors and reflecting on his military service and personal literary achievements.
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Andre Dubus: From Detached Incident to Compressed Novel
(summary)
In the following critical assessment of Dubus's short stories published between 1977 to 1985, Yarbrough asserts that Dubus's fiction-writing talents are best showcased in his longer short stories.
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Loners and Losers
(summary)
In the following review, Gray praises Dubus's skill as a short story writer and calls "Rose" a "classic American story."
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Poised for Fame: Andre Dubus at Fifty
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Feeney comments on the breadth of biographical, psychological, and social circumstances which have influenced Dubus's fiction.
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An interview in America
(summary)
In the following interview, Dubus with Samway examines the profound literary and religious influences on Dubus's work, highlighting the impact of authors like Chekhov, Hemingway, and Faulkner, as well as the role of his Catholic faith in shaping his narrative perspective and ethical considerations.
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The Last Worthless Evening
(summary)
In the following review of The Last Worthless Evening, Seidenbaum asserts that Dubus's stories and novellas are detailed reflections of everyday life rather than purely fictional creations.
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A Hero in the Worst of Us
(summary)
In the following review, he analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of The Last Worthless Evening, pointing out Dubus's sympathy for his characters.
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The Way We Live Now: The Fiction of Andre Dubus
(summary)
In the following review, Sullivan traces some of the common elements of Dubus's short fiction that appear in The Last Worthless Evening.
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Going the Distance
(summary)
In the following review, Lesser observes that in The Last Worthless Evening, Dubus goes beyond the geographic and thematic boundaries that evolved in his previous fiction to explore wider social issues and that the length and pacing of a novella is uniquely suited to Dubus's style.
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The Progress from Hunger to Love: Three Novellas by Andre Dubus
(summary)
In the following essay, Kennedy traces the theme of progressing from solitude to love in three of Dubus's novellas.
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Taking a Chance on Pathos
(summary)
In the following review of Selected Stories, Hoffman suggests that everyday objects, circumstances, and relationships transcend the ordinary in Dubus's fictional explorations of love and its corruption.
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Stories from Scratch at Triple Strength
(summary)
In the following review of Selected Stories, he suggests that Dubus's fiction is sometimes marred by excessive writing.
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Playing Out the Patterns of Sin and Grace
(summary)
In the following essay, he examines the influence of Catholicism on Dubus's fictional exploration of human relationships.
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True Confessions
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Lesser discusses the depth of characterization in Dubus's Selected Stories, noting that several stories address 'crimes of passion' and depict characters in pain and precarious situations. The review highlights the intensity of stories like 'Rose' and the emotional impact of Dubus's writing.
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Master of Moments
(summary)
In the following review of Selected Stories, she characterizes the collection as "deeply rewarding" and Dubus as a writer who assumes moral responsibility for his characters.
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Crisis Points
(summary)
In the following review of Selected Stories, Baveystock characterizes Dubus's fictional treatment of human conflict and crisis as psychological in origin and execution and suggests that the longer works are most reflective of the author's considerable insight and perception.
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Reborn in a Wheelchair
(summary)
In the following review, Kriegel comments on the intensity of feeling and honesty found in Dubus's collection of personal essays, Broken Vessels.
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Road Maps to Sanity
(summary)
In the following review, Hummel discusses Dubus's tendency to focus on life's daily battles instead of its more dramatic moments in Broken Vessels.
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Harshness to Poetry, Poetry to Revelation
(summary)
In the following review, Toolan discusses Dubus's ability to turn poetry into revelation in Broken Vessels.
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Dancing After Hours
(summary)
In the following review, the critic notes that in the stories in Dancing After Hours Dubus continues the themes of his earlier work but adds a new element as a result of his accident that makes "The Colonel's Wife" and the title story especially resonant. Dubus's first story collection in nearly a decade centers around the concerns that have informed all his writing: spirituality, Catholicism, adultery, love and the difficult attempt to sustain it through marriage and family—and, more broadly, the ways lives can suddenly change, sometimes with sudden cruelty, sometimes with grace. Two stories among the 14 here are particularly fine; both gain resonance from the way Dubus's own life was affected by a tragic accident. They are "The Colonel's Wife," about a retired Marine whose relationship with his wife is altered in complex and surprising ways after he breaks both his legs when his horse falls; and the magnificent title story, which concerns a man turned into a quadriplegic by a freak diving mishap, but whose continued zest for life helps bring other people together. Also very strong are the four stories that chronicle the lives of Ted Briggs and LuAnn Arceneaux, and their love for one another, by portraying their lives before they've met and tracing them through a decade of marriage. Dubus's material can be seen as either slightly old-fashioned or as timeless, particularly since he is unapologetically concerned with the spiritual and religious health of his characters. Hopefully, this collection will serve to introduce this important and consistently fine writer to the wider audience he has always deserved.
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Dancing After Hours
(summary)
In the following review, Lynch observes that Dubus "expresses some of life's important truths" through the characters of Dancing After Hours. These stories are about women and men and the vast gulf that lies between them, which can, only sometimes, be bridged by love. Dubus lyrically examines modern relationships: marriages, affairs, and May/December romances. Most of the action in these stories is secondary to character and to a kind of interior monologue, in which Dubus, most often through female narrators, expresses some of life's important truths. Only one story, "The Intruder," seems predictable; otherwise, these short works surprise the reader and affirm life's mysteries and pleasures. Recommended for all fiction collections.
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Love and Other Choices
(summary)
In the following review, he applauds Dubus's return to short story writing and asserts that Dancing After Hours demonstrates the author's talent in the genre.
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The Lines of Anguish
(summary)
In the following review, he argues that Dancing After Hours 'might just as well have been titled 'Tough Love' for what its characters endure in almost every story.'
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Afraid of Sharks, Rifles, and the Passing of Time
(summary)
In the following review, he explores the various ways in which Dubus applies the element of fear in the stories of Dancing After Hours. People coping with fear is the predominant theme of the 14 stories in Andre Dubus's fine new collection, Dancing After Hours, his first work of new fiction to be published since he was badly injured in a traffic accident a decade ago.
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Eavesdropping on the Quotidian
(summary)
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Dubus, Andre (Vol. 13)
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Walter Sullivan
(summary)
In the following essay, Walter Sullivan critiques Andre Dubus's stories for their repetitive themes of sexual obsession and character uniformity, while praising the authenticity and depth in Dubus's portrayal of female perspectives in stories like "Miranda over the Valley."
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Love's Limitations
(summary)
In the following essay, Michael Harris discusses Andre Dubus as a writer who skillfully captures the contemporary American mood of resignation and introspection in his collection Separate Flights, blending traditional storytelling with profound emotional insight and compassion for his characters.
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Richard Todd
(summary)
In the following essay, Richard Todd argues that Andre Dubus deserves greater recognition for his ability to vividly dramatize complex emotions such as loneliness, jealousy, and pity, despite lacking fashionable literary techniques or contemporary sociological insights.
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Joyce Carol Oates
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic evaluates Andre Dubus's Separate Flights, praising the collection's naturalistic portrayal of ordinary characters and their symbolic depth, while noting that Dubus's detailed depiction of characters' drinking habits might occasionally limit the narrative's effectiveness.
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Frances Taliaferro
(summary)
In the following essay, Frances Taliaferro argues that Andre Dubus's collection "Adultery and Other Stories" skillfully evokes deep emotional responses through its subtle storytelling, despite some unevenness in quality due to less successful stories set in the U.S. Marine community.
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Walter Sullivan
(summary)
- Further Reading