R. V. Cassill Criticism
R. V. Cassill (1919–2002) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and teacher whose literary works often reflect his experiences in Midwestern academia. Cassill is celebrated for his incisive exploration of sexual and psychological themes, frequently portraying characters caught in tragic quests for power and personal fulfillment. His novels and stories are marked by a keen observation of individual motives and societal issues. Cassill's The Eagle on the Coin insightfully explores individual and societal complexities but has been critiqued for narrative digressions as noted by Mary Ross and for incorporating themes like Freudianism that detract from the central narrative, as observed by John Cournos. In Clem Anderson, despite Cassill's adeptness at character exploration, critics such as Granville Hicks and Gene Baro noted its structural weaknesses. His novel Pretty Leslie has been praised by Robert Alter for its poetic depth, while The President received mixed reviews for its lack of emotional engagement, as discussed by Paul A. Doyle. Cassill's short stories are lauded for their innovative form and thematic depth, exploring guilt and societal pressures, as noted by David Roberts. His work remains a significant study of the human condition, engaging with the complexities of identity, power, and morality.
Contents
- Cassill, R(onald) V(erlin)
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Cassill, R(obert) V(erlin)
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Probing a Hidebound Town
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In the following essay, Mary Ross critiques R. V. Cassill's novel "The Eagle on the Coin" for its insightful exploration of individual motives and societal issues, highlighting both its strengths in presenting complex characters and its weaknesses due to narrative digressions that affect the story's clarity and pace.
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Reviews: 'The Eagle on the Coin'
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In the following essay, Cournos criticizes R. V. Cassill's novel The Eagle on the Coin for unnecessarily incorporating modern themes like Freudianism, Communism, and homosexuality, arguing that these elements detract from the story's central issue and diminish the author's storytelling potential.
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Midway to Destruction
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In the following essay, Granville Hicks critiques R. V. Cassill's novel "Clem Anderson," arguing that despite Cassill's evident talent and efforts, the novel's structural weaknesses and obscurities prevent it from achieving its literary aspirations, ultimately rendering it an unsuccessful attempt to portray the rise and fall of a genius.
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Bigger than Life, Yet Not Quite Real
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In the following essay, David Dempsey evaluates R. V. Cassill's novel "Clem Anderson," highlighting its exploration of artistic failure through the character of Clem, whose personal life reflects a broader post-war generational experience, and praising the novel's satirical depth and intelligence despite its episodic structure.
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A Promise Unfulfilled
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In the following essay, Gene Baro critiques R. V. Cassill's novel "Clem Anderson" for its lack of deep authorial involvement and argues that while it abounds in acute observation and readability, it ultimately squanders its potential by not fully exploring the complexities of its protagonist.
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The Demon, the Tenderfoot, and the Monolith
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In the following essay, Whitney Balliett argues that R. V. Cassill's novel, "Clem Anderson," is an ambitious yet flawed attempt to capture the essence of the great American novelist through its protagonist, whose fictional writings and life echo the complexities and downfalls of literary geniuses like Hart Crane and James Agee.
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Madame Bovary in a Mid-west Milieu
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In the following essay, Robert Alter discusses R. V. Cassill's "Pretty Leslie" as a successful reimagining of "Madame Bovary," highlighting its exploration of sexuality and identity, while acknowledging the novel's occasional stylistic unevenness and its evocative, poetic approach to psychological complexity.
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Lady's Lust for Drama
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In the following essay, David Boroff contends that R. V. Cassill's novel "Pretty Leslie" transcends the typical narrative of adultery through its existential portrayal of a middle-class woman, likening her to Dostoevsky's "underground man," and praises Cassill's incisive character observation and captivating prose.
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Fiction: 'The President'
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In the following essay, Paul A. Doyle critiques R. V. Cassill's novel The President as intellectually engaging yet ultimately unconvincing and insincere, arguing that the characters lack vitality and that the plot is overly manipulated, resulting in a narrative that fails to engage the reader's interest.
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Academic Smart Set
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In the following essay, David Boroff critiques R. V. Cassill's novel "The President," highlighting the complex character of college president Winfred Mooney, whose dual nature as both a visionary and a demonic figure embodies a socialization of evil that is both crucial and terrifying, yet ultimately fails to emotionally engage the reader.
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Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
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In the following essay, Robert M. Adams critiques R. V. Cassill's novel The President for its engaging style and dynamic prose, while noting that its narrative, focused on academic rivalries, lacks the depth needed to transform it into a profound moral study.
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Fiction: 'The Father'
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In the following essay, Stephen J. Laut, S.J. examines R. V. Cassill's The Father, highlighting the juxtaposition of violence and gentle nostalgia in his stories, the portrayal of guilt and social pressures, and argues that Cassill's most memorable writing stems from his depiction of Midwestern life.
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Amid Confusions, a Stunning Vision
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In the following essay, Ivan Gold praises R. V. Cassill for his ambitious and challenging style in "The Father," noting particularly the story "And in My Heart" for its exploration of themes like marriage and artistic life, despite occasional reliance on verbal energy and myth to convey meaning.
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New Fiction: 'The Father and Other Stories'
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In the following essay, Bernard Bergonzi commends R. V. Cassill's precise use of language in The Father and Other Stories, noting the author's ability to convey controlled pain and tragedy, particularly highlighting the story "The Father" for its indirect presentation of horror and its rejection of sensationalism.
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The Prizes of False Prophets
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In the following essay, Jonathan Baumbach critiques R. V. Cassill's The Father and Other Stories as a compelling exploration of character and the nature of guilt, despite occasional melodrama, emphasizing themes of discovery, disillusionment, and the destructive consequences of human actions.
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The Short Fiction of R. V. Cassill
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In the following essay, Roberts analyzes Cassill's fiction as a portrayal of individual struggle against an indifferent world, highlighting the thematic fragmentation of values and the innovative narrative forms in Cassill's short stories, which he argues reflect the spiritual and psychological dilemmas of contemporary life.
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The Fun Way to Go
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In the following essay, Webster Schott argues that R. V. Cassill's novel "La Vie Passionnée of Rodney Buckthorne" explores themes of hedonism and existential inquiry through its flawed protagonist, but ultimately lacks a cohesive core, resulting in a lively yet disordered narrative.
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A Private Writer Goes Public
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In the following essay, Thomas Rogers critiques R. V. Cassill's attempt to emulate mythological storytelling in La Vie Passionnée of Rodney Buckthorne, arguing that while Cassill excels in writing about private lives with depth akin to Sherwood Anderson, his effort to assert a grander narrative ultimately lacks emotional impact and persuasive mythological significance.
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'Doctor Cobb's Game'
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In the following essay, James R. Frakes critiques "Doctor Cobb's Game" as R. V. Cassill's most ambitious novel, highlighting its ambitious themes and narrative complexity while pointing out weaknesses in its narrative structure due to the sporadic presence of the narrator, "Hound Dog" Scholes.
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Best Sellers
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The critic contends that while R. V. Cassill demonstrates exceptional skill in characterization and language, his novel "Dr. Cobb's Game" ultimately fails to engage, turning the sensational Profumo trial into a dull and pretentious narrative.
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Sex and the Singular Man
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In the following essay, Webster Schott critiques R. V. Cassill's novel The Goss Women, arguing that while Cassill's exploration of sex as a tool for power lacks credibility and engagement, his literary talent provides occasional insight and artistry, though ultimately fails to make the novel entirely persuasive.
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Fine Print: 'The Goss Women'
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In the following essay, Doris Grumbach evaluates R. V. Cassill's "The Goss Women" as a narrative possessing strong storytelling and character development, yet ultimately finding it lacking in substance due to its predictable and repetitive exploration of sexual themes.
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Stories and Novels: 'Hoyt's Child'
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In the following essay, Thomas LeClair critiques R. V. Cassill's novel "Hoyt's Child," arguing that while the narrative centers on themes of money, sex, and power, the novel's attempt at seriousness is undermined by its reliance on sensationalism and a sense of American duplicity.
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Household Dictator
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In the following essay, Julian Moynahan examines R. V. Cassill's novel "Labors of Love" as a semi-allegorical narrative that critiques patriarchal structures, particularly in the realm of male-female relations, while highlighting the protagonist's transformation from a domestic tyrant to an author inspired by the changing roles of women.
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Probing a Hidebound Town
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