Although Stephen Vincent Benét gained popularity for his poetry and stories during his lifetime, little scholarly attention has been paid to his work. Some of his works, however, including his epic poem about the Civil War, John Brown’s Body , and his short story “The Devil and Daniel Webster” are considered minor classics. He was…
Tag: An End to Dreams
An End to Dreams – Setting
The Jazz Age American society went through a period of dramatic change in the aftermath of World War I. Traditional beliefs in God, country, and humanity were shaken as Americans faced the devastation of a war of this magnitude. The resulting feelings of confusion and dislocation led to a questioning and often a rejection of…
An End to Dreams – Literary Devices
Foreshadowing Benét uses foreshadowing to good effect in the story as he drops hints that Rimington is not what he appears to be. When he looks in the mirror as he is lying on the hospital bed, he admits that his face “seemed like the face of an utter stranger.” He is in a “shaken…
An End to Dreams – Themes
The American Dream Benét explores the destructive aspects of the American dream and suggests an altered version. In his dream, James follows the traditional plot of the dream, which involves rising from poverty to the top of the corporate world, amassing wealth and power along the way. He envisions, however, the destructive consequences of this…
An End to Dreams – Characters
Toby Beach Toby is a popular classmate of James, even though the boy is “fat and placid.” He teaches James that “if you had a pony and your father owned the bank, they wouldn’t laugh at you.” Toby’s father offers James a job at his bank that, in his dream, he rejects. In reality, though,…
An End to Dreams – Summary
Benét was a great advocate of America’s entry into World War II as evidenced by a speech he wrote for President Roosevelt. He also worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood and wrote a series of radio scripts, including Listen to the People (1941) They Burned the Books (1942). Benét was plagued with bad vision throughout…