1935: Mr. Norris Changes Trains to The Petrified Forest

Chronology of World, British and American Literature

Christopher Isherwood. British. 1935. Novel. Mr. Norris Changes Trains. Berlin during Hitler’s rise to power; Mr. Norris symbol of corrupt, disintegrating society.

TS Eliot. American/British. 1935. Play. Murder in the Cathedral. Deals with the assassination of Thomas A’Becket. Attempt to revive poetic drama. Language ritualistic and liturgical; monologues; formal exchanges. Villains express modern attitudes in colloquial language.

Enid Bagnold. British. 1935. Novel. National Velvet. Young girl called Velvet is jockey on the winning horse in the Grand National, the famous English steeplechase.

Thomas Wolfe. American. 1935. Novel. Of Time and the River: A Legend of Man’s Hunger in His Youth. Graduate school, returns home for the death of his father; teaches literature, tours France, returns home emotionally, financially exhausted.

Robert E. Sherwood. American. 1935. Play. The Petrified Forest. Depressed author arranges his own killing. Gives insurance to young girl who needs to escape her environment.