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Doing his best work in the forties, Bulosan entered an American
literary scene overshadowed by Anderson, Hemingway, Steinbeck,
Cather, and other latter-day realists and naturalists, to
whom he is often compared. Bulosan was also a good friend
of Carl Sandburg, William Saroyan, and other artists who
are remembered for a very different spirit as they explored
the life and struggles of working people, recent immigrants,
and American minorities. If we situate Bulosan in a larger
and more diverse family of American writers, how is a reading
of his own work enriched?
Explorations
1. Reread the final paragraph of “Be American,” and
then read Carl Sandburg’s short famous poem “Chicago” in
the Norton Anthology of American Literature. What are the
similarities in spirit? In each work, what has to be overcome
to affirm that spirit? Are these works surprising in their
respective conclusions?
2. Compare the opening of Bulosan’s “Homecoming” to
the opening paragraphs of Sherwood Anderson’s “Queer,” which
is also a story about being “home” and yet not
belonging there. How would you describe differences in style
and in point of view?
3. How would you describe Bulosan’s protagonists?
What are the problems and the advantages, for a writer, of
centering stories on people with these aspirations and this
inner life?
Other Sites to Consult
http://www.aamovement.net/history/carlos_bulosan/carlos_bulosan.html:
A biographical page from the Asian American Revolutionary
Movement e-zine.
http://www.filipinolibrary.com/: Comprehensive Web site
for Filipino literature, language, and culture.
http://www.filipinoamericanlit.com/: More Filipino-American
literature resources.
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