Home » Reading & Literature » Essays on American Literature » Winesburg, Ohio (A Review)

Winesburg, Ohio (A Review)

© Audrey McCrone

Sherwood Anderson is often the subject of bad reviews, biased commentary, and a detest for the capitolistic nature of Americans, particularly during the Industrial Age. Putting aside any distaste for his cynical views, Anderson brought up some very interesting issues in Winesburg, Ohio, and he continues to inspire short story writers, today. The Ohio communities that once hated this book for airing their dirty laundry now take great pride in it.

Winesburg, Ohio details small-town, Midwestern American life at the turn of the century (late 1800s to early 1900s). The changes the characters undergo aren't merely internal: the Industrial Revolution causes many external changes, as well. Society, itself, is changing along with the "grotesque" characters of this book. For example, Wing Biddlebaum in the short story "Hands" introduces the societal view of latent homosexuality: a repulsion and rejection of the norm, during that time.

In "Hands," Anderson stipulates two types of hands: those to beat (as shown through the character Henry Bradford), and those to love (which is noted from Adolf Meyers). A question inevitably arises in college classrooms as to whether or not students would allow a latent homosexual to teach their teenage boy. How it's answered will reveal one's moral sense, open-mindedness, and willingness to accept that which is questionably outside the norms of society. Ultimately, Anderson strives for answers to the riddles of individual beings.

The young reporter that is the main character of this book is observant and understanding (George Willard). He grows with each experience into manhood, and this book shows one of the first concious applications of Freudian thinking. Human behavior is a reaction to both subconcious realities and experiences hidden in the forgotten past. Anderson's short stories often show the character in the present as a warped individual, but through a transition to the past we find out why. Also, many of the stories occur at night: a dreamlike quality that is also very Freudian.

The characters tend to discover reality within themselves. Since the stories take place in the machine age, small town life is changing. The reader then notices both internal and external changes occurring. Even though the characters in the present are disgusting, we become fascinated and take on sympathy for their circumstances. The short stories of Winesburg, Ohio are a collection thematically intertwined.

For example, Wash Williams (a "respected" telegraph operator) is described as "ugly," a "beast," and a woman-hater in the story "Respectability." Through his dialogue with George Williard, we find that his wife is repreatedly unfaithful, so he sends her back home to her "respectable" mother. Only, the mother pushes the girl into the room with him, naked and ashamed, hoping something will come of it. He, disgusted, hits the mother with a chair, claiming he'd never have the chance to kill her again, since the neighbors heard her screams and stopped him. We begin to understand why, "The sight of a woman sickens" Wash.