The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, first
published in 2008, would be considered a piece of contemporary
literature. As the literary era in which we currently live, it is difficult
to fully define the characteristics of books written in this time, but I think it is
arguable that Edgar Sawtelle has been hailed and critically honored
because of a few things it does particularly well as a modern piece of
writing.
First, it reads as though it could be largely
autobiographical. The author himself has written directly from his own childhood
experience of living on a farm in Wisconsin where his mother took to raising dogs. As a
result, the story is believable, though still regarded as
fiction.
Another characteristic that has been linked to
contemporary literature, is the idea of inter- and intra- personal relationships.
Basically, how do the characters discover truths about themselves through the way they
interact with others. Certainly, Edgar Sawtelle is a character who has much to discover
about himself, and his communication impairment makes his journey even more
interesting. In addition to his interactions with his mother, father, father's ghost,
and others, we get to see Edgar mature through his relationship with his
dogs.
Finally, this story draws on couple of the
characteristics of great books from other literary eras. In many ways, it could be
considered an epic journey that leads Edgar to the truth behind his
father's death, and more importantly, the mystery of his grandfather's dogs. Many have
also linked this novel to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Though the
comparison is not literal, there are many points of similarity which cause readers and
critics alike to take Wroblewski's modern novel more seriously than a work of simple
entertainment.
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