George Saunders
Luke Dwyer
Wallman
Written Expression II
2/12/2014
George Saunders Every author has a specific style to their writing that makes them unique in the world of literature. George Saunders often repeats themes and motifs in his writing. There are many telltale signs of a classic George Saunders story. He uses similar characters, mood, and conflicts. However, he applies them in different settings to convey the message. Most of his stories are satires, making hyperbole a large force in his writing. Saunders writing so significant because of his use of pathetic characters, his detail in describing reality versus dreams, and his expert use of satire. Saunders uses loser characters as the protagonist in most of his stories. They are not pathetic because they are poor necessarily; they are pathetic because they seem incapable of controlling where their life goes. “I did not have the greatest of pasts when I came here, having been in a few scrapes and even rehab situations” (Saunders) I believe that he portrays most of his characters this way in order to make them relatable. Everyone goes through hardships, and so do these characters. Only they remind me of Blanche the protagonist from A Street Car Named Desire, who was doomed to the fate of her own failures. They overall tragedy of this play was that Blanche could not overcome the problems she would create for herself, and she was essentially trapped in a terrible life. Neil Yaniky, Winky Yaniky, the KidLuv Salesman, and the narrator of Simplica Girls are all the pathetic characters that are trapped by their own vices. Another aspect of Saunders’s stories is his balance between reality and dreams. All of his pathetic characters have vivid dreams for the future, but they never actually escape their realities.
Wallman
Written Expression II
2/12/2014
George Saunders Every author has a specific style to their writing that makes them unique in the world of literature. George Saunders often repeats themes and motifs in his writing. There are many telltale signs of a classic George Saunders story. He uses similar characters, mood, and conflicts. However, he applies them in different settings to convey the message. Most of his stories are satires, making hyperbole a large force in his writing. Saunders writing so significant because of his use of pathetic characters, his detail in describing reality versus dreams, and his expert use of satire. Saunders uses loser characters as the protagonist in most of his stories. They are not pathetic because they are poor necessarily; they are pathetic because they seem incapable of controlling where their life goes. “I did not have the greatest of pasts when I came here, having been in a few scrapes and even rehab situations” (Saunders) I believe that he portrays most of his characters this way in order to make them relatable. Everyone goes through hardships, and so do these characters. Only they remind me of Blanche the protagonist from A Street Car Named Desire, who was doomed to the fate of her own failures. They overall tragedy of this play was that Blanche could not overcome the problems she would create for herself, and she was essentially trapped in a terrible life. Neil Yaniky, Winky Yaniky, the KidLuv Salesman, and the narrator of Simplica Girls are all the pathetic characters that are trapped by their own vices. Another aspect of Saunders’s stories is his balance between reality and dreams. All of his pathetic characters have vivid dreams for the future, but they never actually escape their realities.