Proletarian novel
Encyclopedia
Proletarian literature
was centered on poor, working-class individuals, and was written during the period of 1930 to 1945. The adjective "proletarian" comes from the Latin
words "prole
(meaning offspring), and (a citizen of the lowest class), and is a term used to identify an individual of a lower social class
identity. Often the group is referred to as the "proletariat
". This use of proletarian implies that one is poor and hints at the lower classes being prolific in creating children. A member of such a class is proletarian. Originally it was identified as those people who had no wealth
other than their sons.
Based on the political and literary ideas of Gorki (whom the Russian claim to have written the first proletarian novel), inspired by the novels of the anarchists of the decade of the 1920s (Wobblies or Industrial Workers of the World
[IWW]), and later promoted by Joseph Stalin
as an important part of the movement called socialist realism
, the proletarian novel had its greatest period of success between 1930 and the early 1940s. They were the years of the Great Depression and the writers with a Marxist inclination hoped to inspire and begin the social revolution that Marx
and other thinkers had prophesied.
The most important American writers gathered in the First American Writers Congress of 1935, which was supported by Stalin. See the League of American Writers
which was backed by the Communist Party USA
. Famous among the international writers were Georg Fink (pseudonym of the German writer Kurt Münzer), Mike Gold
of New York (both of whom were Jewish), José Revueltas
of Mexico, Nicomedes Guzmán of Chile, Jorge Icaza
of Ecuador, and numerous others.
Proletarian literature
Proletarian literature refers to the literature created by working-class writers for the class-conscious proletariat, published by the communist parties. It was a literature without literary pretensions....
was centered on poor, working-class individuals, and was written during the period of 1930 to 1945. The adjective "proletarian" comes from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words "prole
Prole
Prole may refer to:* Proletariat, a lower social class, or the working class* Proles, the proletariat class in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four* Prole, Iowa, a community in the midwestern United States* Próle, a village in Poland...
(meaning offspring), and (a citizen of the lowest class), and is a term used to identify an individual of a lower social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
identity. Often the group is referred to as the "proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
". This use of proletarian implies that one is poor and hints at the lower classes being prolific in creating children. A member of such a class is proletarian. Originally it was identified as those people who had no wealth
Wealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
other than their sons.
Based on the political and literary ideas of Gorki (whom the Russian claim to have written the first proletarian novel), inspired by the novels of the anarchists of the decade of the 1920s (Wobblies or Industrial Workers of the World
Industrial Workers of the World
The Industrial Workers of the World is an international union. At its peak in 1923, the organization claimed some 100,000 members in good standing, and could marshal the support of perhaps 300,000 workers. Its membership declined dramatically after a 1924 split brought on by internal conflict...
[IWW]), and later promoted by Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
as an important part of the movement called socialist realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
, the proletarian novel had its greatest period of success between 1930 and the early 1940s. They were the years of the Great Depression and the writers with a Marxist inclination hoped to inspire and begin the social revolution that Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
and other thinkers had prophesied.
The most important American writers gathered in the First American Writers Congress of 1935, which was supported by Stalin. See the League of American Writers
League of American Writers
The League of American Writers was an association of American novelists, playwrights, poets, journalists, and literary critics launched by the Communist Party USA in 1935...
which was backed by the Communist Party USA
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
. Famous among the international writers were Georg Fink (pseudonym of the German writer Kurt Münzer), Mike Gold
Mike Gold
Michael "Mike" Gold is the pen-name of Jewish American writer Itzok Isaac Granich. A lifelong communist, Gold was a novelist and literary critic, his semi-autobiographical novel Jews Without Money from 1930 was a bestseller.- Biography :Gold was born Itzok Isaac Granich on April 12, 1894 on the...
of New York (both of whom were Jewish), José Revueltas
José Revueltas
José Revueltas Sánchez was a Mexican writer, essayist, and political activist. He was part of an important artistic family that included his siblings Silvestre , Fermín and Rosaura .-Life:He was often imprisoned for his political activism, almost from the time he was a boy...
of Mexico, Nicomedes Guzmán of Chile, Jorge Icaza
Jorge Icaza Coronel
Jorge Icaza Coronel was a writer from Ecuador, best known for his novel Huasipungo, which brought attention to the exploitation of Ecuador's Native Americans by Ecuadorian whites.-Playwright:Jorge Icaza’s literary career began as a playwright...
of Ecuador, and numerous others.