Studies in American Fiction, September 22nd, 1993
Hamlin Garland was influenced by the subtle acting method of Edwin Booth and Hippolyte Taine's deterministic approach to literature. Evidence of this is seen in his portrayals of farm life in works such as 'Mrs. Ripley's Trip' and 'Daddy Deering.' Katherine Herne's sentimental portrayal of Mary Miller in James Herne's 'Drifting Apart' demonstrated to Garland the power of sentiment and his later writings show this influence. They follow the conventions of melodrama, invoking exaggerated sentimentality to win audience sympathy for Middle Border experiences.
In 1909, after two decades that saw t...
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