Cather vs. Anderson

A detailed Summary of Cather vs. Anderson

The authors Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson experience several similarities and differences in their stories. By approaching a common theme in their writings, the reader can easily depict the authors' styles. Sherwood Anderson's troublesome characters displayed the humor in his writing, and Willa Cather's homely persons identified her seriousness of her style. Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson shared similar thoughts of regionalism. Both writers approach the audience with a question. Would a person's life be better off in the city or in a small town? Many people face a similar question almost everyday. However, does the person realize that his own actions play a major role in the decision-making process? Questions much like these were very important during the American Midwest and frontier times in which cities were developing. The two authors demonstrated their identical messages of how the rapidly growing cities were the new way of life. Keeping the towns and the countryside populated was becoming quite a task. Cather and Anderson had their characters encounter a decision of moving into a crowded city or a quiet country/town dwelling. In Willa Cather's story, Neighbour Rosicky

, and Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio, the character's minds battle with the decisions of leaving an estranged town to repair themselves in a city or continue their productive country lives.

Rosicky and Elmer, characters of Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson stories, debated city life. Elmer mostly battled with the decision in his mind. Towards the very end of the story, Elmer lashed out against the town and became violent. He repeatedly swung his fist at the newsman, and hoped on a train to leave for Cleveland (Anderson 1885). These actions proved nothing but Elmer Cowley's immaturity and his incapability of surviving the works of a big city. Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson shared the same idea about a person's interest in moving to a big city. However, they both approached the issue different with their characters. Willa Cather and Sherwood Anderson shared the same idea about a person's interest in moving to a big city.

Similarly, Sherwood Anderson created a character named Elmer Cowley that was also unhappy in his environment. Anderson used Elmer to show his readers that a person's happiness was created in the mind and not the environment. A person's dwelling does not have a very large impact on his life. However, Anderson used the character of Elmer Cowley to show his readers that sometimes a person must try fresh tactics to realize that they were right or wrong. Elmer had a problem of blaming his surroundings for all of his problems, forcing his mind and body to travel to the city. Elmer's only desire was to move to the city and escape the cruelties a small town can bring an outsider. Elmer felt that if he moved himself to the city, he would make friends and his life would be on track (Anderson 1884). However, Elmer's problem was his own and not the fault of the town. Elmer's paranoia kept him from making friends and becoming successful. He felt that no one understood what he was going through because they had perfect lives. Elmer felt that the only solution would be to escape to the city. He was quoted saying "I will get out

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1398
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English