Cultural Exile and the Journey Home: Stevenson and American Fiction

Author: Sun Yifeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: In the over century since the death of the British writer Robert Louis Stevenson, critical reception has been mixed, and his place in the history of English literature has fluctuated. This is partly due to his multifaceted writing identity: he was first and foremost a Scottish writer, much like the Irish writers who did not fully identify with their British writer status. He wrote novels, essays, travelogues, and reviews, in addition to his beloved children's literature, he also created bizarre and eerie horror novels. At the same time, he had a close relationship with the novelist Henry James, engaging in discussions on the art of fiction and publishing many insightful and innovative perspectives. He was a quintessential expatriate writer, beginning his cultural exile early in life, traveling across the European continent, visiting America, and eventually settling on an island in the Pacific. Most works about Stevenson revolve around his legendary life, with in-depth and systematic studies of his works being relatively rare. This book combines historical and literary contexts with relevant novel texts to focus on the direct influence of American fiction on Stevenson's writing, while also analyzing the creative inspiration he drew from French literature, German literature, and Russian literature. By tracing the origins and development of his creative activities, it highlights the multifaceted and complex nature of his novelistic art. His lingering thoughts and emotions for his homeland are vividly reflected in many of his works. His explorations of cultural exile and the profound influence of American literature on him all contribute to his insightful life experiences and the richly diverse world of his novels.