McTeague: A Story of San Francisco (Signet Classics)
by Frank Norris
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Book Summary Information
Author: Frank NorrisIntroduction: Eric Solomon
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-08-05
ISBN: 0451528913
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Reviews of McTeague: A Story of San Francisco (Signet Classics)
Book Review: American parable
Summary: 5 Stars
H L Mencken believed "McTeague" to be the great American novel and it surely is the principal American parable. A giant golden tooth and a gilded canary cage are just two symbols of greed in this rich novel. Published in 1899 this work by Frank Norris reminds of Emile Zola's writing in realism and artistry. Norris takes the reader from Polk street San Francisco to Death Valley in this brilliant depiction of avarice. Erich von Stroheim's silent film "Greed" is based on McTeague, unfortunately the whole 9 1/2 hour film is no longer extant. The novel is funny at times like when Marcus is pontificating to McTeague: "It's the capitalists that's ruining the cause of labor," shouted Marcus, banging the table with his fist till the beer glasses danced; "white-livered drones, traitors, with their livers white as snow, eatun the bread of widows and orphuns; there's where the evil lies." Stupefied with his clamor, McTeague answered, wagging his head: "Yes, that's it; I think it's their livers." The gentle love story of Old Grannis and Miss Baker shows how simple contentment can be and serves as an an antithesis to the rest of the book. "and the two old people sat there in the gray evening, quietly, quietly, their hands in each other's hands, "keeping company," Early in the book Mcteague has dreams of oral opulence: "It was his ambition, his dream, to have projecting from that corner window a huge gilded tooth, a molar with enormous prongs, something gorgeous and attractive. He would have it some day, on that he was resolved;" Trina his fiancee buys this grand tooth for his dentist office and gives it to him as a gift. As the McTeagues descend into financial ruin he clings to this object. When he finally does decide to sell all he can get for it is five dollars, if sown under a large enough pillow the tooth fairy would have left more for this gargantuan grinder. The gilded molar is not only a symbol of his success as a dentist, but also the love he and his wife once shared. The Buddha said desire was the cause of suffering and we certainly see that here as greed takes center stage in this novel. Most of the characters mine the ore of suffering with their cupidity and as they struggle to acquire they become possessed.
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