Great American Novel


The term Great American Novel refers to a canonical novel that is thought to embody the essence of America. It is generally regarded as being written by an American and dealing in some way with the question of America's national character. The Great American Novel is considered America's equivalent of the national epic.
The term was coined by John William De Forest in a 1868 essay. Although De Forest mentioned Uncle Tom's Cabin as a possible contender, he noted that the Great American Novel had most likely not been written yet. Writer Henry James shortened the term to GAN in 1880, but it has since evolved in meaning.
In modern usage, the meaning of the term is often figurative and represents a canonical piece of literature, making it a literary benchmark emblematic of what defines U.S. literature in a given era. Practically, many academics use the term to refer to a small number of books that have historically been the nexus of discussion, including Moby-Dick, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Great Gatsby. However, there is no consensus on which novel, or novels, merits the title of Great American Novel.

History

While fiction was written in colonial North America as early as the 17th century, it was not until a distinct U.S. identity developed in the 18th century that works considered American literature first appeared. The U.S. identity as a nation was reflected alongside the development of its literature.
The term Great American Novel comes directly from the title of an 1868 essay by American Civil War novelist John William De Forest. In the wake of the Civil War, De Forest claimed that "the Great American Poem" could only be created after the United States had experienced hundreds of years of democracy, however, he believed that the Great American Novel could be written much sooner. As he wrote:
He claimed that it would serve as "a tableau of American society." De Forest criticized James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans and noted that it did not deserve to be called the Great American Novel. He expressed his admiration for the works of Washington Irving and Nathanial Hawthorne, but also claimed that they were not fit to be given the title. The only novel that De Forest noted as a possible contender was Uncle Tom's Cabin, which he hailed as "a picture of American life."
In 1880, writer Henry James simplified the term with the initialism "GAN". According to writer Martin Amis, immigrants, or "non-Americans", were critical in the evolution of the GAN. He points to the fact that many GAN authors were foreign born or of an immigrant background. There are several different interpretations of what makes a GAN. Some say that it depicts a diverse group facing issues representative of "epochdefining public events or crises." This would include Moby Dick and Gravity's Rainbow.
Although early GAN candidates were typically chosen by academics and scholars, the concept has opened up in recent years. Lawrence Buell, Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University, said that in the 21st century "the dream of the GAN is less in the hands of credentialed critics and scholars to determine than the result of a complex, messy interaction among them, readers at large, the literary entrepreneurialism of the writers themselves, the publishing and education industries, and self-accredited freelance journalists and bloggers." Some have even suggested that the Marvel Comics by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee deserve the title. Regarding this lack of consensus, A. O. Scott has said:

Notable candidates

YearCover/
title page		NovelPortraitAuthorReasoning
1826The Last of the Mohicans Perhaps the first GAN, it was influential in defining American literature. It addresses themes which are common in later American works, including rugged individualism and freedom.
1850Although De Forest specifically labelled The Scarlet Letter as not being worthy of the label of GAN, it is now widely included on most lists.
1851Moby-DickMoby Dick has been called "the grandfather of all GANs."
1852Uncle Tom's Cabin
1884Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was one of the first American novels to utilize a regional vernacular. In 1935, Ernest Hemingway stated that "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called 'Huckleberry Finn'."
1925
1936Absalom, Absalom!
1939
1951
1952Invisible ManThe Invisible Man is considered the GAN due to its subject of racial issues in the United States.
1960To Kill a MockingbirdOprah Winfrey has described it as "our national novel."
1973Gravity's RainbowPynchon's postmodern novel of World War II is commonly cited as "the most important American novel" of the post-war era. Its depiction of a democratic community had been compared to Moby Dick.
1985Blood MeridianThe novel is noted for its portrayal of the consequences of manifest destiny for which it is labelled an anti-western.
1987Beloved''The novel is noted for its depiction of the psychological effects of slavery and racism. A. O. Scott remarked that "Any other outcome would have been startling, since Morrison's novel has inserted itself into the American canon more completely than any of its potential rivals."