John Roderigo Dos Passos (1896–1970,) an American novelist, playwright, and social activist, stands out for his significant contributions to modernist literature, particularly through his groundbreaking U.S.A. Trilogy, which adeptly captured the complexity of American society during the early 20th century.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dos Passos graduated from Harvard University in 1916 and volunteered as an ambulance driver during World War I. His early literary works depicted the artist grappling with the harsh realities of a brutal world. His literary career gained prominence with the publication of Three Soldiers (1921,) a novel critiquing the military and exploring the disillusionment of those who experienced the war.
The U.S.A. Trilogy, consisting of The 42nd Parallel (1930,) 1919 (1932,) and The Big Money (1936,) showcased Dos Passos’ unique narrative style. He skillfully combined traditional storytelling with elements such as newspaper articles, songs, and biographies, offering a multifaceted view of American life.
In addition to the trilogy, Dos Passos wrote Manhattan Transfer (1925,) an experimental novel vividly capturing the vibrancy and chaos of New York City during the 1920s. Following the monumental success of U.S.A., Dos Passos embarked on a less ambitious trilogy titled District of Columbia (including Adventures of a Young Man in 1939, Number One in 1943, and The Grand Design in 1949.) This trilogy chronicles Dos Passos’ growing disillusionment with the labor movement, radical politics, and New Deal liberalism.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by John Dos Passos
Apathy is one of the characteristic responses of any living organism when it is subjected to stimuli too intense or too complicated to cope with. The cure for apathy is comprehension.
—John Dos Passos
Topics: Apathy
Why won’t they let a year die without bringing in a new one on the instant, can’t they use birth control on time? I want an interregnum. The stupid years patter on with unrelenting feet, never stopping – rising to little monotonous peaks in our imaginations at festivals like New Year’s and Easter and Christmas – But, goodness, why need they do it?
—John Dos Passos
Topics: Time
Individuality is freedom lived.
—John Dos Passos
Topics: Individuality
People don’t choose their careers; they are engulfed by them.
—John Dos Passos
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