Definitions: Essays in Contemporary Criticism [First Series]

In Short

This volume is a gathering of critical essays that examine the state of American literature in the immediate post-WWI era. The author, a prominent editor and academic, explores how fiction, journalism, and poetry function within a society that is both eager to read and prone to sentimentality. By analyzing the habits of contemporary writers, the expectations of the public, and the role of the critic, the work argues for a more honest, rigorous approach to American letters. It has lasted as a vital document of literary history and a thoughtful guide to the craft of criticism.

The Story

The narrative arc of this collection moves from the broad landscape of American fiction to the specific responsibilities of those who critique it. The author opens by diagnosing a malaise in the contemporary short story, which he finds increasingly mechanical and beholden to popular demand. He observes that both "literary" and "popular" magazines often rely on the same tired structures, creating a cycle of mediocrity that stifles genuine originality. The central conflict here is not between "high" and "low" art, but between an artificial, sentiment-driven industry and the potential for a truly authentic national literature.

As the essays progress, the focus shifts to the American tradition itself. The author posits that the "pioneering instinct" remains a defining characteristic of the American spirit, manifesting in the unique, recurring urge to "take to the woods." He argues that American literature thrives when it connects with the soil and the shared history of its people. However, he warns against the "booster" mentality that ignores the artist’s role in giving a town or a nation its true significance. To build a fruitful culture, he suggests that Americans must move past the imitation of European models and instead embrace the "vast bourgeois literature" that, while not always excellent, provides the foundation for future innovation.

The middle section turns to the "New Generation," where the author navigates the cultural baggage of the Puritan ancestor and the reactionary impulses of the modern anti-Puritan. He finds both sides lacking: the former for its rigid, joyless morality and the latter for its nihilistic reliance on desire as the only philosophy. He advocates for a balanced conscience that acknowledges the value of duty while allowing for the vibrancy of contemporary life.

The final segments address the mechanics of criticism and the lives of specific authors. He frames reviewing as a "major sport" that requires both professional skill and a sense of detachment. He critiques the "sins" of reviewers who fall into lazy labeling and lack the leisure to perform deep, meaningful analysis. In discussing masters like Melville, Conrad, James, and Butler, the author draws clear distinctions between the artist’s intent and the final product. He concludes that criticism—and indeed, any act of defining—must be a fluid tool rather than a rigid cage. He rejects "wholesale definitions" that ignore the margins, insisting that the critic’s task is to provide perspective so that readers may better understand the complex, ever-shifting stream of human life as it is reflected in books.

How It Unfolds

The diagnosis of fiction The author begins by critiquing the artificiality of magazine stories, which he claims prioritize sensation and sentiment over genuine feeling. He argues that editorial dogmatism restricts originality and ignores the public's capacity for better work.

The turn to tradition The focus shifts to the American impulse to return to nature, which the author identifies as a fundamental, if sometimes atavistic, source of literary inspiration. He asserts that the artist’s role is to transform mere land into a place of human significance.

The generational debate The text examines the perceived influence of the "Puritan" ancestor, contrasting the rigidity of the past with the shallow, nihilistic rebellion of the young. The author calls for a new conscience that avoids both stifling morality and aimless protest.

The mechanics of review The author defines the professional boundaries between the hack reviewer and the critic, lamenting the lack of specialized terminology for those who interpret books. He suggests that criticism should be treated as a rigorous, noble profession rather than a journalistic afterthought.

The final appraisal The book concludes with a study of individual giants like Melville and Butler, illustrating how genius often triumphs even when craftsmanship falters. The author reflects on the nature of definition itself, arguing that it must remain a flexible, humble tool for understanding art.

The People

The book features a cast of intellectual archetypes rather than fictional characters. The Editor acts as the primary voice, a man of "sympathetic" but firm judgment who believes in the potential of the reading public. He stands against the Philistine, a figure who views literature merely as a commodity or a source of easy escape. The Puritan—often misunderstood or maligned—appears as a spectral ancestor whose rigid morality still haunts the American consciousness, while the Anti-Puritan represents the reactionary youth who rebels without a clear purpose. The author also profiles literary figures like Herman Melville, whom he calls a "wilder soul" and a greater artist than the more disciplined Joseph Conrad. He holds Henry James in high regard as a master of intellect, while Samuel Butler is championed for his rare, sardonic commitment to "honest thinking." Each of these figures serves as a touchstone in the author’s attempt to map the landscape of the modern American mind.

In Its Own Voice

"The 'literary' magazines, it is true, more frequently surprise one by a story told with original and consummate art; but then the 'popular' magazines balance this merit by their more frequent escape from mere prettiness."

The author notes this balance while arguing that both types of publications rely too heavily on mechanical, standardized narrative structures.

"Our problem is not chiefly to expose and attack and discredit the flat conventionality of popular writing; it is rather to crack the smooth and monotonous surface and stir the fire beneath it, until the lava of new and true imaginings can pour through."

This passage captures the author’s core belief that change in literature will come from evolution within the existing system rather than from external condemnation.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is an inquiry into the health of a democracy that attempts to marry mass-market commercialism with high-minded artistic endeavor. The author is deeply concerned with the "test case" of the novel in a society that often treats it as "only a novel." He explores the tension between the "temporal and accidental" appeal of a bestseller—which plays upon the reader's soft spots—and the intrinsic, lasting value of great art. Ultimately, the argument is for a literary culture that values "honest thinking" and refuses to settle for the mediocre. He seeks to equip the reader with the tools to distinguish between what is merely timely and what is genuinely enduring.

Why Read It Today

This collection will resonate with readers who enjoy literary history and the "behind-the-scenes" perspective of a thoughtful editor. It offers a fascinating, if occasionally demanding, look at how the early 20th-century American literary world viewed its own development. You will feel as though you are sitting in a quiet, book-lined office with a mentor who is both deeply knowledgeable and refreshingly humble about the limits of his own definitions.

The prose is precise and elegant, though modern readers should be prepared for the author’s period-specific vocabulary and his frequent, sometimes lengthy, sentences. He is unapologetically a man of his time—the early 1920s—and his discussions of "the masses" or "the barbarian" reflect the class and cultural assumptions of that era. However, his core insights into the nature of criticism, the dangers of editorial pandering, and the importance of "seeing steadily and seeing whole" remain remarkably applicable. What stays with you is the author's unwavering conviction that literature is not a luxury, but a vital component of a civilized life. For those who want to understand how we came to think about "popular" versus "high" art, this book provides the foundational arguments that still shape our modern discourse.