Category Archives: LITERATURE

There is a section of the novel that goes back into an early time in Rufus’ childhood that Agee has incorporated into the story at a point where we are wondering what Jay has walked into at his own father’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

While the story is a very close look at a family, Agee uses the omniscient third person to separate the characters and reveal their inner conflicts as well as their own viewpoints of their interactions. As  mentioned, I suspected some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Even while the relationship of Jay and Mary is presented as a loving and happy marriage, there is subtlety in their dialogue before Jay leaves to see his sick father, and prior to that, in the easy relationship between father … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Talk about your similes and imagery: (…) and along both banks the trees which crowded the water like drinking cattle began to take on distinctness one from another. (p. 41) Continue reading →

Agee appears to reveal his story slowly, lovingly using each word to fit within and enhance his characters and their relationship to each other. There’s a whole chapter that covers an evening that has six year-old Rufus going to see … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Just started on this today but it’s amazing how quickly I’m learning to switch worlds.  From the unknown and odd Flatland, or Sandoval’s alluring parallelism, I’m back to a post-war America where family is stable–no mother would dream of leaving … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I just pulled it out to make room for putting back Flatland, but this novel by James Agee certainly appeals as a down-to-earth, exciting reality story, judging by the back cover: "There’s nothing quite like the excitement of coming upon … Continue reading → Continue reading →