Customer Reviews

The American Adam (Phoenix Books)

5 star:		(2)
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In The American Adam, R.W.B. Lewis traces the Adamic myth through American discourse, thought, and literature during the period of 1820 to 1860, presenting different interpretations of America's national identity and examining the dialogue they produced. The fundamental myth at hand, that of the authentic American as Adam, posits "an individual emancipated from history, happily bereft of ancestry, untouched and undefiled by the usual inheritances of family and race; an individual standing alone, self-reliant and self-propelling, ready to confront whatever awaited him with the aid of his own unique and inherent resources" . Lewis examines several incarnations of this Adamic figure and addresses the philosophical, theological, and cultural implications of the nascent American mythology. In doing so he combines an analysis of historical trends with the close reading of various representative literary texts, nearly all of which treat the theme of American individualism or question the principles behind it. Of course, there are multiple ideologies to consider as this picture unfolds. Lewis adopts Ralph Waldo Emerson's terminology for the two opposing groups-the party of Hope and the party of Memory-and introduces his own, that of Irony, to include those individuals who situated themselves between the two extremes. The debate between these three camps would refine and polish the Adamic ideal, transforming it from an adolescent fantasy into a full-fledged American myth, thus discovering its redemptive power and creating some of the finest American literature to date.

American exceptionalism may be harder to defend than it once was, but Lewis's analysis of the Adamic myth retains its relevance as a classic text in American literary theory. Furthermore, the author has a clear, rich, engaging style of writing that makes for both intellectual and aesthetic enjoyment. I would strongly recommend this work to all students of American literature; if you're not that taken with American lit., however, you'd be better off passing this one up.

In other words, The American Adam is an excellent, thought-provoking book, but it's likely to only appeal to students of the field.

Five stars all the same.

This is one of those books that ought to be required reading for every American. Lewis outlines the birth and development of literature in our United States. In the process, we learn why Americans, today and in history, act the way they do. He paints a portrait of various voices of America: unflinching champions of the American way of life ("party of Hope"), the harsh critics American people or policies ("party of Memory"), and everything in between. Overall, Lewis presents a masterful overall portrayal of the ongoing passionate and sometimes contradictory conversation about what America is and should be.

It is helpful to be familiar with American literary classics to understand what Lewis is describing, but not necessary. I found it useful to take another look at Melville's Billy Budd. While certain sections (where Lewis is describing a book that I had never read before) may seem to drag, there are nuggets of truth and insight throughout this great text that tell the story of America.