Reading 1. “Irish American Fiction” (http://digitalcommons.colby.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1047&context=honorstheses) pp. 42-91 only 2. “Famous Irish-American Writers” (http://www.irishamericanjourney.com/2011/09/irish-american-writers.html) Multimedia “The Last Hurrah” (http://www.watchfree.to/watch-29a0b3-The-Last-Hurrah-movie-online-free-putlocker.html) Discussion Questions In writing your Discussion Board posts, you may want to consider the following: 1. How does the main character in “The Last Hurrah” compare to some of the real-life Irish-American politicians we have studied this semester? 2. What are some of the main themes that emerge in Irish-American literature? 3. How do aspects of traditional Irish culture, as well as traditional American culture, manifest themselves in Irish-American literature?
After reading and watching the movie two students answered the discussion questions. I would like you to write a 150 words reply to their answers whether they answered it correctly or not and if you liked it why? so just comment on it. but DO NOT COMPARE BETWEEN THEM.
first student answers: Irish American writers have created great literary works, following in the footsteps of successful Irish authors such as James Joyce and Oscar Wilde. Many Irish American writers are even considered to be some of the greatest writers in history, and they have successfully written playwrights, poems, novels, and essays. Irish American literature emerged after two or three generations since the Famine immigrants arrived in America. It was several generations after due to economic necessity and levels of education, which makes sense. The immigrants first coming into America did not have the time to leisurely write fiction, they were more preoccupied with survival. Edwin O’Connor, an Irish American novelist, wrote The Last Hurrah, which was based on the political life of James Michael Curley. In 1958 The Last Hurrah was adapted into a film which tells the story of Frank Skeffington, an Irish American who is the powerful mayor of an unnamed city in New England. In the film Skeffington is planning to run for a fifth term, and he is portrayed as being very skilled at using his political power and political machine of ward heelers to gain support from Irish Catholics and other citizens. Members of the city’s traditional Protestant elite oppose Skeffington and support McCluskey, who is also running for mayor. In the end, Skeffington ends up losing to McCluskey and has a heart attack. I enjoyed watching this depiction of James Michael Curley’s life, and my favorite part was at the end when one of the men suggests that Skeffington would have lived his life differently, and Skeffington miraculously gains consciousness to say, “Like Hell I would”, and then dies.
Second student answers:
Upon watching “The Last Hurrah,” I noticed significant similarities to one of the governing politicians of Massachusetts. The main character of the movie, Frank Skeffington, reminded me mainly of James Michael Curly because of him being a “colorful” governor. This reminded me of that because of how he is willing to interact with his people, and do things for them like how Curly did for them. Also, Skeffington’s background of being from a poor Irish immigrant family, and making his way up to have a better living made me think of how Skeffington is similar to Curly as well.
There are several Irish-American writers in American history, but there are a lot of reoccuring themes going through in majority of their work. Religion, or Irish-Catholicism, seems to be one of the biggest themes running through in a lot of their work. Eugene O’Neil’s Long Day’s Journey is a perfect example of how religion made an impact of their life. The main character of the play began to question the faith, and ultimately he leaves the faith. The theme is related to the writer’s real life philosophy because O’Neil too question the faith. Not just O’Neil questions about the faith as well, but F. Scott Fitzgerald questions about religion as well in a couple of his novels. Identity is also one of the major factors that is found in a lot of Irish-American writers as well. Flannery O’Connor explores about Irish-American identity, and how they were alienated from others in a community. She furthers discuss the facts of ethnic identity problems, and the over-assimilation of other cultures, which means that Irish-Americans starts to loose their Irish background and religion.
Traditional Irish culture and traditonal American culture both manifested itself into Irish-American literature through Irish-Americans who are generally part of the later generations here in America after their ancestors immigrated to this country. Due to their experiences and and traditons that they follow from where they came from, they portray some factors that are obviously seen throughout some of the Irish-American writers’ novels. Such as F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, it portrays some of his beliefs and brief history of himself. When Fitzgerald abondaned his religion and culture in order to fit into the social status that he wants to be in. It is also portrayed in The Great Gatsby in some way because Gatz, who was an Irishman himself, abondaned his previous identity and became a successful businessman.
