American Silences: The Realism of James Agee, Walker Evans, and Edward Hopper 9781412810975, 1412810973

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American Silences

American Silences The Realism of James Agee, Walker Evans, and Edward Hopper

J o s e p h Anthon y W a r d With a new introduction by

Richard Goodman

Routledge TaylorS. Francis Croup LONDON AND NEW YORK

Originally published in 1985 by Louisiana State Press Published 201 0 b y Transactio n Publisher s Published 201 7 b y Routledg e 2 Park Square , M i l t on Park , Abingdon , Oxon OX1 4 4 RN 711 Thir d Avenue , Ne w York , N Y 10017 , U S A R o u t l e d g e i s a n i m p r i n t o f th e Taylo r & Francis Group , a n inform a business Copyright © 201 0 b y Taylo r & Francis . A l l right s reserved . N o par t o f thi s boo k ma y b e reprinte d o r reproduced o r utilise d in an y for m o r b y an y electronic , mechanical , or othe r means , no w know n o r hereafte r invented , includin g photocopying an d recording , o r i n an y informatio n storag e o r retrieval system , withou t permission i n writing fro m th e publishers . Notice: Product o r corporat e name s ma y b e trademark s o r registere d trademarks, an d ar e use d onl y fo r identificatio n an d explanatio n without inten t to infringe. Library o f Congress Catalog Number : 201001813 1 Library o f Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Dat a Ward, J . A. (Joseph Anthony), 1931 American silence s : the realis m o f James Agee, Walker Evans, an d Edward Hoppe r / Joseph Anthony Ward. p. cm . Originally published : [Bato n Rouge] : Louisiana State University Press, 1985 . W i th ne w introd. Includes bibliographica l references an d index . I S B N 978-1-4128-1097- 5 (alk . paper) 1. Realis m i n art--United States. 2. Art , American--20th century . 3. Agee , James , 1909-1955-Criticis m an d interpretation . 4. Evans , Walker, 1903-197 5 1955--Criticis m and interpretation . 5 . Hopper , Edward, 1882-196 7 1955-Criticis m and interpretation . I . Title . I I . Title: Realism o f James Agee, Walker Evans, an d Edwar d Hopper . N6512.5.R4W37 201 0 700.973--dc22 I S B N 13 : 978-1-4128-1097- 5 (pbk )

2010018131

TO M A R G A R E T A N D E L I Z A B E T H

We l i v e i n an ag e i n w h i ch th e impac t o f materialized force s i s w e l l n i g h irresistible ; the spiritua l nature i s overwhelme d b y th e shock . T h e tremendou s an d complicate d developmen t o f our materia l c i v i l i z a t i o n , th e m u l t i p l i c i t y an d variet y o f our socia l forms , th e depth , subtlety, an d sophistr y o f our imaginativ e impressions, gathered , re m u l t i p l i e d , an d disseminate d b y suc h agencie s as th e railroad , th e express an d th e post-office , th e telephone , th e telegraph , th e news paper, an d i n short , th e w h o l e machiner y o f social intercourse—thes e elements o f existence combin e t o produc e w h a t ma y b e terme d a kaleidoscopic glitter , a dazzlin g an d confusin g phantasmagori a o f lif e t h a t wearie s an d stultifie s the m e n t a l an d m o r a l nature. I t induces a sort o f i n t e l l e c t u al fatigue throug h w h i c h w e se e th e rank s o f th e v i c t i m s o f insomnia, melancholia , an d insanit y constantl y recruited . THEODORE DREISE R

Jennie Gerhard t Leisure i s a f o rm o f silence, o f that silenc e w h i c h i s th e prerequisit e of th e apprehensio n o f reality: o n ly the silen t hea r an d thos e w h o d o n o t r e m a i n silen t d o n o t hear . Silence , a s i t is used i n this context , does n ot mea n "dumbness " or "noiselessness" ; i t means more nearl y t h a t th e soul' s power t o "answer " t o th e realit y of the w o r l d i s lef t undisturbed. JOSEF PIEPE

R

L e i s u r e : The Basis of

Cultur e

The autho r i s gratefu l fo r permissio n t o reprin t th e following , whic h appear here in slightly differen t form a s part s o f chapters one an d three : "Silence, Realism , an d 'Th e Grea t Goo d Place/ " Henr y Jame s Review, I I I (Winter , 1982), copyright 1982 by the Henry lames Society , reprinted by permission ; "Jame s Agee's Aestheti c o f Silence: Le t Us No w Praise Famous Men, " in Tulane Studie s i n English, copyright 197 8 b y Tulan e University, Ne w Orleans , reprinte d by permission ; an d " A Death i n th e Family: The Importance of Wordlessness," Mode m Fiction Studies, X X V I (Winter, 1980-81), copyright 1980 by Purdue Researc h Foundation, West Lafayette, Indian a 47907, reprinted by permission. Photographs b y Walker Evans fro m America n Photographs (Ne w York, 1938) an d Le t Us No w Praise Famous M e n (New York, 1969 ) ar e par t of th e Farm Security Administration Collection in the Prints and Photo graphs Divisio n o f the Librar y o f Congress, Washington , D.C. 20540. Reproductions o f the Edwar d Hopper painting s use d herei n wer e pub ¬ lished previously in Edward Hopper: The A rt an d the Artist (Ne w York, 1980).

Contents

I n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e T r a n s a c t i o n E d i t i o n xii P r e f a c e xx

i

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s xx I n t r o d u c t i o n America O n e Fou

i

v n Realism and the Aesthetic o f Silence 1

r Fables of Silence: Poe , Melville, James, and Adams 1

T w o Anderso T h r e e Jame

9

n and Hemingway 3 s Agee 7

8

F o u r Walke

r Evans 11

F i v e Edwar

d Hopper 16

E p i l o g u e 20

3

I n d e x 20

7

5 8

5

Illustrations

1. R o a d s i d e S t a n d N e a r B i r m i n g h a m 12 2. South Street, New Y o r k 12 0 3. Penny P i c t u r e D i s p l a y , Savannah 12 4. I n t e r i o r D e t a i l , West V i r g i n i 5. A m e r i c a n L e g i o n n a i r e 12 6. Co