Frank Norris’s Novel McTeague Essay -- Frank Norris McTeague Essays

discourteous Norriss Novel McTeagueFrank Norriss novel McTeague explores the decay of monastic order in the early twentieth century. Set in San Francisco, a plant where anything can happenwhere fact is often stranger than fiction (McElrath, jr. 447), Norris explores themes of avariciousness and naturalism, revealing the darker side of human psyche. What can be show most disturbing is the way that Norris portrays McTeague, in shocking detail, as energy more than a brute animal at his core. Norris explores the greed and uncivilised animalism that lurks inside McTeague.McTeague is first portrayed as a well-to-do giant. The reader is introduced to McTeague as he sits in his dental parlor, smoking his cigar and imbibition his steam beer. He is described as a t every, slowly wretched man. McTeagues mind was as his body, heavy, slow to act, sluggish. Yet there was nonentity vicious more or less the man. Altogether he suggested the draft horse, immensely strong, stupid, docile, good (Norris 7).Immediately one can visualize McTeague, a large pound mass, going most his daily activities in quiet solitude. The dental invest that McTeague runs provides him with a sound income, and in the first few chapters of the novel, he desires aught more out of life than to practice what he relishs. When he unresolved his Dental Parlors, he felt that his life was a success, that he could swear for nothing better (Norris 7).Upon meeting Trina, his best friend Marcuss love interest who comes to him because of a broken tooth, his psyche stupefys to change and animalistic feelings begin to well up inside McTeague. The male, virile desire in him tardily awakened, aroused itself, strong and brutal. It was resistless, untrained, a thing not to be held in a leash an instant (Norris 25). Norris uses the animal imagery to describe the debasement of McTeagues human qualities. When McTeague tells Marcus of his intentions with Trina, there is a palpable tension betwixt the t wo characters. Although at first they act like gentlemen, there is a silent rivalry between them.Well, what are we going to do about it, Mac? he said.I don know, answered McTeague in great distress. I don want anything toto come between us, Mark.Well, say, Mac, he cried, striking the bow with his fist, go ahead. I guess youyou want her pretty bad. Ill tie out yes, I will. Ill give he... ...ull at his right wrist joint something held it fast. Looking down, he saw that Marcus in that last struggle had prove strength enough to handcuff their wrists together. Marcus was dead now McTeague locked to the body. All about him, vast interminable, stretched the measureless leagues of Death Valley (Norris 340).In this last scene, McTeague is leftover to die in the brutal conditions of Death Valley, a force that his primitiveness and greed cannot escape.Norris develops the novel in a way that takes the reader with the mind of McTeague. The final effect is one of chilling realism. McTeagu e develops a greed and brute quality that can be realized in all of us. Norris magnifies the deconstructive traits that lurk inside of society and all of us and shows them too us, if we presume to look for them. Works CitedBrief, Peter. 1,300 Critical Evaluations of Selected Novels and Plays McTeague. Vol. 3, McT-ROB. Salem Press, 1978.McElrath Jr, Joseph. Twentieth Century literary Criticism McTeague. Vol. 24. Gale Research Company, 1987.Norris, Frank. McTeague. USA Signet Classic, 1964.Rexroth, Kenneth. Afterword from McTeague. USA New American Library, 1964.