Thornton wilder biography summary of 10

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At Yale he was influenced by William Lyon Phelps, who encouraged him to explore classic literature and to develop his own voice. He acknowledged the inherent difficulties of life, but he also celebrated its beauty and potential for meaning.

Thornton Wilder’s Contribution to Literature

Thornton Wilder’s impact on literature is undeniable.

These formative years instilled in him a cosmopolitan worldview and a deep appreciation for the human condition. He was a successful playwright, and his playOur Town was a landmark achievement. His Harvard lectures "Toward an American Language," "The American Loneliness," and "Emily Dickinson" appeared in the Atlantic Monthly (1952).

While in high school, Wilder became interested in theater and began regularly attending performances of plays. These aren’t merely plot devices; they are explorations of the unpredictable forces that shape our lives.

Famous Works: A Closer Look

Thornton Wilder’s literary output, though not vast, is remarkably impactful.

(It later re-emerged as the musical play Hello, Dolly! This academic grounding, coupled with real‑world experiences, enabled him to approach storytelling with both intellectual rigor and emotional depth.

Wilder's last novel, Theophilus North, was published in 1973. The miraculous escape of the accused killer, John Ashley, on the eve of his execution, and his subsequent flight to freedom trigger a powerful story tracing the fates of all those whose lives are forever changed by the tragedy: Ashley himself, his wife and children, and the wife and children of the victim.

His range spanned from the works of the ancient Greeks to modern dramatists (writers of plays), particularly Joyce and Gertrude Stein (1874–1946). Here, Wilder described the human race as flawed but worth preserving. What sets Our Town apart is its minimalist staging and its direct address to the audience. He received the Pulitzer for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927) and the plays Our Town (1938) and The Skin of Our Teeth (1942).

Several works stand out as particularly significant contributions to American literature.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey (1927)

Pertaining to his most famous work, The Bridge of San Luis Rey is a poignant exploration of fate and the interconnectedness of human lives. He served with the First Coast Artillery in Rhode Island in 1918 during World War I (1914–18), when Germany waged war against much of Europe.

Castronovo, David. In The Ides of March (1948) Wilder tried a novel approach to Julius Caesar (100–44 B.C.E. In 1906 the family moved to China when his father became the United States Consul-General in Hong Kong. Written for a bare stage, guided throughout by a narrator, his script examines a small town for the "something way down deep that's eternal about every human being."

Wilder's dramatic work that followed, The Merchant of Yonkers, failed initially in 1938.