Huckleberry Hero

The Anti-Hero in the American Novel rereads major texts of the 1960s to offer an innovative re-evaluation of a set of canonical novels that moves beyond entrenched post-modern and post-structural interpretations towards an appraisal which emphasizes the specifically humanist and idealist elements of these works.

" Trickster or Hero: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Picaro" is a book that explores the theme of the picaro, an anti-heroic figure that is the protagonist of picaresque novels. The picaro is typically a rogue, a trickster, or a social outcast, and lacks traditional heroic characteristics such as courage, honor, and morality. However, despite this, the picaro emerges as the hero of his novels through his wit, resourcefulness, and ability to survive against all odds. The book delves into the literary and cultural significance of the picaro and its enduring appeal to readers. The book talks about the life and journey of the picaro across cultures. Through a comparative study of the picaros in Indian and western fiction, the author brings out the traits which help him become an endearing and heroic figure through his struggles and perseverance. It offers a unique perspective on the picaresque tradition and its impact on literature and society.

The first full-length book devoted to Japan's 1994 Nobel Laureate, The Marginal World of Kenzaburo Ôe introduces the literary universe bursting with the explosive energies of Bakhtinian grotesque realism. In its center stands the "idiot son," a trickster and soulful healer, unknowingly thrown into the world of myth-making and history. The diverse voices of Ôe's characters resonate with one another within and between reinvented texts as the book's analysis flow into the very pores and veins of his masterful writing.

"A model reference work that can be used with profit and delight by general readers as well as by more advanced students of Twain. Highly recommended." - Library Journal The Routledge Encyclopedia of Mark Twain includes more than 700 alphabetically arranged entries that cover a full variety of topics on this major American writer's life, intellectual milieu, literary career, and achievements. Because so much of Twain's travel narratives, essays, letters, sketches, autobiography, journalism and fiction reflect his personal experience, particular attention is given to the delicate relationship between art and life, between artistic interpretations and their factual source. This comprehensive resource includes information on: Twain’s life and times: the author's childhood in Missouri and apprenticeship as a riverboat pilot, early career as a journalist in the West, world travels, friendships with well-known figures, reading and education, family life and career Complete Works: including novels, travel narratives, short stories, sketches, burlesques, and essays Significant characters, places, and landmarks Recurring concerns, themes or concepts: such as humor, language; race, war, religion, politics, imperialism, art and science Twain’s sources and influences. Useful for students, researchers, librarians and teachers, this volume features a chronology, a special appendix section tracking the poet's genealogy, and a thorough index. Each entry also includes a bibliography for further study.

The heroic friends who save us--one bark at a time. Our dogs rescue us every day--whether theyÆre pulling our children out of wells or standing by our side during tough times. In this moving collection, youÆll meet fifty unforgettable dogs who have earned the love, respect, and admiration of their humans, including: Widget, a wiry little terrier who alerted her master that a poisonous snake was coiled to strike her daughter George, an abandoned, oversized, loopy white dog with no particular talents beyond graciously mentoring brother and sister foster dogs, including an annoying litter of six coonhounds Skip and Obie, two abused dogs whose former owners poured lye down their throats but who now bestow their rescuers with daily kisses and hugs This book reminds you that every dog has his day--and that courage canine-style comes in all colors, shapes, sizes--and breeds.

An investigation of society's heroes during any time period will reveal the personnel deemed worthy of being emulated at that particular time by that particular society. There will be many old and time-tested figures, sometimes with new faces and new profiles; there will also be a mix of new faces. Thus the hero--like history itself--is constantly in transition, and both the hero and the transition are fundamental to the study of a culture. These essays turn the pantheon of heroes around before our eyes and reveal the many complicated aspects of hero worship.