Wright Morris (1910–1998)

My latest plunge into the archives of books published in 1951 has come up with Man and Boy by Wright Morris. It is perhaps the strangest novel from that year that I have read. Not because of its content or its flirtation with experimental writing, but just because of its feeling of oddball people and oddball behaviour. One wonders if readers were expected to believe that such characters were the norm in America at that time.

The book is really of novella length and alternate chapters carry the point of view of Mr Ormsby and Mother. They are retired and Mr Ormsby is starting his day as usual at the bec and call of Mother, who is actually his wife. They had a son Virgil referred to as the boy, but he was killed in the second world war at Guadalcanal. Mother no longer finds it necessary to speak to Mr Ormsby apart from calling for him and writes a series of notes that amount to tasks for the day. Mother is an expert on wild birds and from time to time lectures to interested groups. Mr Ormsby does not go out much spending his time catering to Mother. Mother has received a notification from the American Navy that they are about to name a boat after their son for his heroic service in the war. Mr Ormsby must find his old travelling bag which has been mouldering in the loft for many years. They take the train and Mr Ormsby sits apart from his wife, next to a service man; private Lupido. A strange conversation about the candling of eggs ensues. Lupido is described as having an overlarge head and a boyish face and easily takes offence. Mr Ormsby invites him to come along with them to the commemoration service at the Brooklyn naval yard. The novel features strong female characters whose command and energy contrasts with the rather foolish men in their life.

Wright Morris was an American novelist, photographer and essayist and according to Wikipedia was known for his portrayals of people and artifacts of the Great Plains. His most read novels were [The field of Vision ]1956 and [Plains Song: for female voices] 1980. Man and boy with its rather curious perspective of the dominant female and its sense of characters isolated from the rest of the world, holds the readers attention. We are immediately immersed in the odd, ironic, humorous world created by Wright Morris to the extant that we don't question its existence. It is a rather slight novel, but I enjoyed it well enough 3 stars.… (more)

While I grew up in the southern US, I have spent much of my life in the western states. I have met and grown to know well many people who grew up in this part of the country. Perhaps as a result, I have developed a real affection for stories of the West, everything from Steinbeck to Stegner to McMurtry and Haruf. Wright Morris has always been on my list, but this is the first I have read by him. I will say that there is nothing romanticized about Morris' take on pioneering of the West. Cora, the heroine, seems to be made from or made for the time and place, tough and she expects to work from pre-dawn to dark, but she also is always looking to improve life for herself and her family. Plains Song rings true for me in its depiction of Cora and of time and place.… (more)