1940: For Whom the Bell Tolls to Strangers and Brothers

Chronology of World, British and American Literature.

Ernest Hemingway. American. 1940. Novel. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Spanish Civil War. Politics of guerrillas. Idealistic American professor. Loves, blows bridge, left to die.

William Faulkner. American. 1940. Novel. The Hamlet. Trilogy. Fifty years in time. Snopes family. Narrated by characters observing, not participating in the action.

Christina Stead. British. 1940. Novel. The Man Who Loved Children. Archetype of the American male: good-natured, always kidding, naively optimistic, egotistical.

Richard Wright. American. 1940. Novel. Native Son. Product of Chicago slums victimized because of race. Commits murder. Condemned to death.

Thomas Wolfe. American. 1940. Novel. You Can’t Go Home Again. Sequel to The Web and the Rock. Revisits hometown, is disillusioned by what he sees.

CP Snow. British. 1940/70. Novels. Strangers and Brothers. Narrator is a lawyer and a government administrator whose development parallels the author. Deals with power struggles; conflicts between conscience and public life.