Ellen Glasgow, American Novelist

Ellen Glasgow, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1942 for her novel In This Our Life, was one of the finest American novelists of the 19th and early twentieth century. Born in 1873 she published twenty novels as well as short stories to critical acclaim. A lifelong Virginian, Ms Glasgow “portrayed the changing world of the contemporary South in a realistic manner, differing from the idealistic escapism that characterized Southern literature”.

One characteristic of world-class fiction is that the reader is rewarded with exceptional writing on virtually every page or, at the least, every chapter. With Ellen Glasgow- and this is neither hyperbole nor exaggeration – there are sections of her novel, Life and Gabriella, where the stunningly original prose extends from one sentence to the next straight through to the bottom of each page.

Additionally, Ellen Glasgow possessed a knack for creating multi-dimensional, fictional characters so intriguing that they leaped off the printed page and became embedded in the reader’s mind. A case in point, at a dinner party, the heroine, Gabriella, is seated next to a grotesquely obese and ugly elderly judge. The man is wolfing down his meal with utter disregard for what is transpiring around him. But Gabriella strikes up a conversation with this social pariah only to discover that beneath the hideous exterior hides a gentle and infinitely wise soul. Over the years the judge, who asks nothing in return, becomes one of her most loyal benefactors.

In 1918 the literary critic Grant Overton wrote about Ms Glasgow that “her writing is filled with a serious purpose, the purpose to put life before you not merely as it is but as she thinks you should see it. She does not preach or moralize, being far too fine an artist for such crudities.”

“Far too fine an artist,” Overton notes. Glasgow went back and rewrote the entirety of Life and Gabriella twice before submitting the lengthy volume to publication. One particular troublesome chapter was revised thirteen times before moving on.

“I am not concerned with any propaganda,” Glasgow stated during an interview. “A book should never serve any purpose but the telling of life as it is – being faithfully realistic.” “And realism is the only truth of life told and is the author’s true business. Hawthorne was strongly realistic. He did not try to be pleasing or pleasant. He wrote things as he saw them.” When Glasgow makes allusions to Nathaniel Hawthorne, confiding her deepest literary sentiments in such fashion, she is in excellent company; one thinks of other literary realists such as Austin, Hardy, de Maupassant, Chekhov, Turgenev, Glaspell, Flaubert, Melville, etc.

Regarding her personal writing style and literary technique, Glasgow states, “I must live with a character a long time. Then the desire to write comes and I begin after that to shape the background, and the details of plot weave into their proper places. I never force myself to begin a piece of work nor force myself to keep at it when the something within stops. And I never get an idea by looking for one. They just come, always unexpectedly and always at the most inopportune times and places – at a reception, on the train, on the street.

*****

Finally, let me close by citing from Glasgow’s uniquely creative perspective:

“There are three things an author must do to improve himself. First, he must show an ability to create personalities, second, he must exhibit a sincerity of style, and third, he must evince the capacity for an intelligent criticism of life. Without these he is not worth very much in a serious, big way. To contribute to the knowledge and understanding of life – that should be his motive in writing, not primarily to create a pleasant impression.

*****

Ellen Glasgow’s endless insights into the human condition suggest a degree of gravitas seldom witnessed in her literary counterparts. Below are a handful of quotes from either the author’s fiction or personal notes:


 The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.

 Life is never what one dreams. It is seldom what one desires, but for the vital spirit and the eager mind, the future will always hold the search for buried treasure and the possibility of high adventure.

 He knows so little and knows it so fluently.

 True goodness is an inward grace, not an outward necessity.

 Women love with their imagination and men with their senses.

 Mediocrity would always win by force of numbers, but it would win only more mediocrity.

 Life's greatest moments are often found in the simplest of pleasures.

 The past has no power over your present unless you allow it.

 True happiness comes from within; it is not dependent on external circumstances or possessions.

 The greatest battles we fight are often within ourselves; learn to conquer your fears and doubts.

 Love and trust go hand in hand; without trust, love cannot flourish.

 Choose your words wisely, for they have the power to uplift or destroy.

 Your worth does not diminish based on someone else's opinion of you.

 Sometimes the greatest lessons are learned through the hardest experiences.

 The key to a fulfilling life lies in finding your passion and pursuing it wholeheartedly.

 The beauty of life is in its imperfections; embrace them and learn from them.

 Listen to your inner voice; it is often the wisest guide you will ever have.

 Embrace change and uncertainty; they are the catalysts for personal growth and transformation.