Nathaniel Wests Miss Lonelyhearts Essay -- Literary Analysis

â€Å"Life is worth while, for it is full of dreams and peace, gentleness and ecstasy, and faith that burns like a clear white flame on a grim dark altar.† So begins the correspondence of the novella of Nathaniel West, Miss Lonelyhearts (1933). West's work was not only a reaction to the national problems of the Great Depression but to the personal problems generated by the it, and not only for the general public but for himself also. West brought an element of the demure into his writing that characterized both the economic and emotional depression that the 1929 crash had generated among many people in the nation throughout the 1930's. In fewer than sixty pages, West forms a clear critique of both the personal and national lives of American citizens of the early nineteen hundreds. From a clear disregard for the well-being of others to a lack of respect for the world itself, West clearly qualifies the shortcomings of those individuals. Far from solely casting the stone at those outside of himself, West is wont to use the literary figure as both a setting for the turmoil of someone affected by such shortcomings and the vehicle for personal desire, destruction, or change. The power of West's novella lies in its simple depiction of the personal struggle of humanity and decidedly complex representation of humanity's societal struggle. While personal problem's in west's world can be comforted simply by the careful wordsmith, not even the most concerned citizen may alleviate the problems generated by society alone. West uses a depth of imagery and strong character relationships to illustrate the suffering caused by dependence on a society which lacks beauty at every turn. West's leading character, a newsman who writes an advice column and t... ...nard, Rita. "The Storyteller, the Novelist, and the Advice Columnist: Narrative and Mass Culture in "Miss Lonelyhearts""  NOVEL: A Forum on Fiction  27.1 (1993): 40-61. Print. Hanlon, Robert M. "The Parody of the Sacred in Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts."  The International Fiction Review  (1977): 190-93. Print Light, James F. "Miss Lonelyhearts: The Imagery of Nightmare."  American Quarterly  8.4 (1956): 316-27. Print. Lynch, Richard P. "Saints and Lovers: 'Miss Lonelyhearts' in the Tradition - Page 8 | Studies in Short Fiction."  Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. . West, Nathanael, and Nathanael West.  Miss Lonelyhearts: & the Day of the Locust. New York: New Directions, 2009. Print.