LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 20:3 March 2020
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Norman Mailer as a Social Critic:
The Naked and the Dead

Dr. S. Chelliah, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt.

Norman
Norman Mailer ((January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007)
Courtesy: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Mailer

Abstract

This article lays focus on a social critic named Normal Mailer who criticizing the cultural deviations in the contemporary American society in his work. The Naked and the Dead, which represents the conflict between mechanistic forces of system and individual integrity and explore the condition of man struggling against the depersonalization forces of modern society Mailer is deeply concerned with the relationship between American institutions and inner lives of the people and his works depicts the loss of human values in the content of a war experience and in extension the American society.

Keywords: Norman Mailer, The Naked and the Dead, Social Critic, Cultural deviations, depersonalization, subjugation, virtual explosion, materialism.

Norman Mailer, who is considered as one of the distinguished postwar American writers, stands unique as a social critic endowed with the literary skill and critical acumen to point out and criticise the deteriorating standards of present day American life. Robert Ehrlich rightly observes:

“Perhaps no other American writer since
World War II has been as concerned with
the quality of American life as Norman Mailer
….. Mailer has detailed his attitudes
towards his country in an ever developing
syncretic vision which has required
continual aesthetic experimentation …” (P1)

Norman Mailer belonged to the group of post second world war novelists. First World War and Second World War novelists were found to be writing about war but there was an essential difference in handling of the war theme. The first world war novelists “never saw war as the inevitable extension of society” (Kazin 75) but treated it totally as an experience outside civilized life. Mailer is indebted to the first world war writers like Dos Possos and Hemingway in matters of narrative technique and handling of the war theme.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr Chelliah

Dr. S. Chelliah, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt.
Professor, Head & Chairperson
School of English & Foreign Languages
Department of English & Comparative Literature
Madurai Kamaraj University
Madurai – 625 021
Tamil Nadu, India
Cell :9442621106 / 7339129324
schelliah62@gmail.com
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