John Dos Passos (2000)
Genre
Literary Fiction / Historical Fiction
Reading Time
9-12 hours
Key Themes
See below
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Through the lives of five Americans and appearances by historical figures, "The 42nd Parallel" shows a nation entering the 20th century, revealing the spirit of a young country about to change.
F.C. Mac McCreary, known as Mac, grows up in Chicago, feeling distant from his family and traditional life. He leaves home young, working various jobs as a printer's assistant, a hobo, and a laborer across the American West. His experiences with poverty and unfairness lead him to socialist ideas. He joins the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), attending meetings, handing out flyers, and protesting for workers' rights. Mac searches for belonging and a cause, finding it, imperfectly, in the working class's fight against capitalist unfairness. He eventually lives, for a time, in California, working for a socialist newspaper and developing his political views.
Janey Williams is raised in a strict, conservative home in Washington D.C., controlled by her demanding mother and society's expectations. She works as a stenographer, wanting respect and financial stability. Her life is carefully organized, and she is always aware of social rules and the need to look proper. Janey quietly longs for romance and a more satisfying life, but her shyness and caution stop her from taking chances. She observes the world critically, often judging, wary of anything that disrupts her sense of order. Her story shows the restrictive customs faced by women of her time, especially those in the middle class.
Eleanor Stoddard, from a respectable Chicago family, goes against expectations to marry and settle down. She is ambitious and has a good eye for beauty, determined to succeed in interior decoration and design. Eleanor moves to New York City, joining bohemian groups and art movements. She becomes close friends with Eveline Hutchins, a more free-spirited and sexually open woman. Eleanor's story explores her fight for independence, her pursuit of art, and how she handles social rules about women's roles and sexuality in the early 20th century. She is sharp, calculating, and driven, using her intelligence to advance her career.
Ward Moorehouse, a charming and ambitious young man from a small town, arrives in New York City wanting to succeed. He quickly gets into journalism, using his social skills and ability to promote himself. He understands the power of how things appear and how to influence public opinion, making him a good fit for the new field of public relations. Ward makes connections with important people, always looking for chances to advance his career and get rich. His story shows the American dream of self-made success, but also hints at the moral compromises and superficiality in such a pursuit. He marries a rich woman, Della, mainly for her connections and money, and always looks for new ventures.
Charley Anderson is a naturally talented mechanic with an intuitive understanding of machines. Growing up in a working-class family, he struggles with school but excels with his hands. He is restless and likes adventure, always moving from one job to another—from working on cars to sailing on ships. Charley is easily swayed by others, especially women, and often makes quick decisions. His story shows the raw talent and potential in the American working class, but also the lack of direction and societal forces that can lead to wasted chances. He is kind-hearted but often naive, living life with curiosity and recklessness.
Eleanor Stoddard, now starting her interior design business with Eveline Hutchins, finds her professional and social circles increasingly crossing paths with Ward Moorehouse. Ward, always networking, recognizes Eleanor's talent and social connections. He sees possible alliances that could help his growing public relations business. They meet at parties, business events, and through mutual friends in the city's sophisticated, often competitive, social scene. While their interactions are mostly professional, there is an underlying tension of ambition and social climbing. Their relationship shows the transactional nature of success in early 20th-century New York, where personal connections often mattered most.
Mac, still committed to the socialist cause, moves around the country, working for various radical publications and labor groups. He experiences the friendship of fellow activists but also the harsh realities of police violence, censorship, and internal political disagreements within the movement. He falls in love with and marries Alice, a fellow socialist, and they have a child. However, their relationship is strained by poverty, Mac's constant travel, and his strong dedication to the cause, which often overshadows his family life. His idealism is tested by the practical difficulties and personal sacrifices his political beliefs demand, leading to moments of doubt and tiredness.
Charley Anderson's mechanical skill takes him from working in garages in the Midwest to serving on ships, experiencing different parts of American industry and life at sea. His charm attracts women, but his impulsiveness and lack of commitment often lead to short-lived and unsatisfying relationships. He has a significant affair with Anne, but their relationship is difficult and does not last. Charley's story is marked by a sense of not belonging anywhere, as he constantly seeks new experiences and avoids commitment, showing a wider social unrest and the search for meaning in a quickly changing industrial world. He often gets into situations he does not fully understand, acting on instinct.
Ward Moorehouse successfully expands his public relations firm, becoming more influential in shaping public opinion and company images. His work connects him with powerful industrialists and politicians, further solidifying his status. Despite his professional success, his personal life with his wife, Della, becomes more strained. Della, smart and perceptive, sees through Ward's calculated charm and resents his professional goals taking over their marriage. Ward begins to have affairs, further showing the moral compromises he makes in his pursuit of success and pleasure, even as his public image stays polished and perfect. His life becomes a careful balance of public performance and private manipulation.
Janey Williams continues her life as a stenographer in Washington D.C., a careful and observant person. She remains mostly unchanged by the social changes around her, preferring the safety of routine and established rules. While she occasionally interacts with more progressive people, her ingrained conservatism and shyness stop her from fully accepting new ideas or experiences. She continues to judge the moral failings of others, especially those who defy social rules. Janey's story contrasts with the more adventurous lives of the other characters, representing a part of American society holding onto tradition and order amidst the rapid changes of the early 20th century.
As the decade goes on, World War I begins to cast a larger shadow over America. The book shows the growing nationalistic feeling and the coming involvement in the European conflict. Characters like Ward Moorehouse see new business opportunities in the war effort, while Mac and the socialists face growing repression and public hostility for their anti-war stance. Charley Anderson, with his mechanical skills, will likely be drawn into the war's technological needs. Eleanor Stoddard continues her career, adapting to changing tastes and economic conditions. The coming war marks a major turning point, promising to reshape the lives of all characters and the nation itself, setting up the next books of the trilogy.
The Protagonist
From a wandering, disillusioned youth, Mac finds purpose and community in the socialist movement, but faces personal sacrifices and the harsh realities of political struggle.
The Protagonist
Janey remains largely static, a figure of conservative stability, observing the changing world around her with a blend of apprehension and quiet judgment.
The Protagonist
Eleanor transforms from a rebellious young woman into a successful and independent career woman, mastering the art of self-presentation and social maneuvering.
The Protagonist
Ward rises from a small-town journalist to a powerful figure in public relations, but his personal life becomes increasingly strained by his ambition and moral compromises.
The Protagonist
Charley's journey is one of constant movement and unfulfilled potential, as he struggles to find stability and purpose despite his natural talents.
The Supporting
Eveline remains a constant, free-spirited presence, supporting Eleanor's ambitions while embodying a more unconventional lifestyle.
The Supporting
Della's initial admiration for Ward slowly turns into disillusionment and resentment as she witnesses his true character.
The Supporting
Alice endures the hardships of a life dedicated to the socialist cause, often sacrificing her own well-being for Mac's activism.
The Mentioned
As a historical figure, Debs's presence is constant, symbolizing the ongoing struggle for social justice.
The Mentioned
As a historical figure, Edison's legacy is presented as a cornerstone of American industrial power and innovation.
The Mentioned
As a historical figure, Carnegie represents the pinnacle of capitalist success and its societal impact.
The novel explores different forms of the American Dream—from Ward Moorehouse's pursuit of wealth and influence to Eleanor Stoddard's goal for professional success. However, it also clearly shows the dream's negative side: the exploitation faced by Mac McCreary and the working class, Janey Williams's stifling conformity, and Charley Anderson's aimless travels despite his natural talent. The book questions if the dream is available to everyone, and at what personal and societal cost it is achieved, often revealing an emptiness beneath the shiny surface of success. Ward's strained marriage and Eleanor's calculated relationships show the compromises made.
“U.S.A. is the slice of a continent. U.S.A. is a group of holding companies, some vast machine in motion.”
This theme is central to the novel, especially through the different paths of the main characters. Mac McCreary dedicates his life to collective action through the socialist movement and the IWW, believing in unity to overcome exploitation. In contrast, Ward Moorehouse represents strong individualism, focused only on personal advancement and getting rich, often at others' expense. Eleanor Stoddard, while working with others professionally, is driven by individual ambition. The story examines the tension between these two forces, showing the ideological struggles of early 20th-century America and the search for belonging in an increasingly disconnected society.
“All right, we are two nations. ... There are the owners and the exploited. There are the rich and there are the poor. And between these two nations there is no peace.”
Dos Passos details the strict class structures of early 20th-century America and how much social movement was possible. Characters like Ward Moorehouse and Eleanor Stoddard actively climb the social ladder through ambition and smart networking, moving from more modest backgrounds into the elite. Mac McCreary and Charley Anderson mostly stay in the working class, fighting against systemic economic forces. Janey Williams shows the worries of the aspiring middle class, always trying to keep respect. The novel shows how class shapes opportunities, relationships, and worldviews, often deciding one's fate regardless of individual talent or effort.
“The rich man in his castle, The poor man at his gate, God made them high and lowly, And ordered their estate.”
The novel explores the changing roles and expectations for women in the early 20th century. Eleanor Stoddard represents the 'new woman,' pursuing a professional career and independence, challenging traditional home roles. Eveline Hutchins represents a more bohemian, sexually free woman. In contrast, Janey Williams sticks strictly to traditional female roles, seeking security and respectability within conventional society. Alice, Mac's wife, struggles with family demands and her husband's political activism. The stories reveal the limited choices, societal pressures, and new opportunities faced by women during a time of big social change.
“A woman's place is in the home.”
The rapid industrialization and technological advances of the era are a constant background. Charley Anderson's natural mechanical skills show the human connection to machines, while figures like Thomas Edison symbolize the era's inventive spirit. The novel shows how these changes transform work, create new industries like advertising (Ward Moorehouse), and alter daily life. However, it also shows the human cost of industrialization, especially for the working class who face exploitation and alienation, as Mac experiences. The story illustrates how technology, while offering progress, also adds to social and economic divisions.
“The machine guns spit and sputter. The cannon roar. The cities blaze.”
A montage of headlines, song lyrics, and public figures, reflecting the historical context.
The 'Newsreel' sections are a distinctive stylistic innovation, serving as interchapters that provide a kaleidoscopic snapshot of American society at specific historical moments. They consist of fragments of newspaper headlines, popular song lyrics, advertisements, and brief, often ironic, biographical sketches of public figures (like Eugene Debs, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie). This device immerses the reader in the political, social, and cultural atmosphere of the time, anchoring the individual narratives within a broader historical context and emphasizing the collective consciousness of the nation. It creates a sense of immediacy and documentary realism, highlighting the cacophony of voices and events shaping the era.
Stream-of-consciousness autobiographical fragments, offering the author's subjective perspective.
The 'Camera Eye' sections are short, stream-of-consciousness passages written in the first person, providing glimpses into the author's (or a persona's) subjective experiences and thoughts. These highly personal, poetic vignettes often reflect on childhood memories, observations of the urban landscape, or reactions to political events. They offer a counterpoint to the objective, documentary style of the 'Newsreel' and the more conventional third-person narratives of the protagonists. 'The Camera Eye' injects a lyrical, introspective, and often melancholic voice into the novel, suggesting the individual's struggle to find meaning and identity amidst the overwhelming forces of history and society.
Brief, satirical biographies of prominent historical figures, providing social commentary.
Interspersed throughout the novel are short, often satirical, biographies of real historical figures, such as Eugene Debs, Thomas Edison, and Andrew Carnegie. These biographies are distinct from the 'Newsreel' fragments, offering more developed (though still concise) narratives of these individuals' lives and achievements. Dos Passos uses this device to provide social commentary, often highlighting the contradictions and ironies of American success, wealth, and power. They serve to contextualize the fictional characters' struggles and aspirations within the lives of real, influential people, showing the forces and ideals that shaped the nation and influenced the characters' worldviews, sometimes serving as aspirational figures or as symbols of oppression.
Interweaving the lives of five disparate characters to create a panoramic view of society.
Instead of focusing on a single hero, the novel employs a multiple protagonist narrative, following the lives of five distinct characters: Mac, Janey, Eleanor, Ward, and Charley. Their stories are presented in alternating chapters, creating a complex, polyphonic structure. This device allows Dos Passos to paint a panoramic portrait of American society across different social classes, geographical regions, and ideological perspectives. While their paths occasionally cross, their lives largely unfold independently, emphasizing the vastness and diversity of the nation while subtly hinting at the interconnectedness of their experiences within the larger historical currents. This structure allows for a comprehensive, rather than singular, view of the American experience.
“America our nation has been beaten by strangers who have turned our language inside out who have taken the clean words our fathers spoke and made them slimy and foul.”
— Mac's reflections on the impact of industrialization and corruption on American ideals.
“The old words are like the labels on old medicine bottles; they don't mean anything any more.”
— Commentary on the changing meaning of traditional values in modern society.
“All right we are two nations.”
— A stark declaration of the divide between the rich and the poor in America.
“But mostly U.S.A. is the speech of the people.”
— Emphasizing the collective voice and experience of ordinary Americans.
“The streets of heaven are full of the sound of stars.”
— A poetic, almost mystical description amidst the gritty realism of urban life.
“He was a man who had been places and seen things.”
— Describing a character's worldly experience and the value of travel.
“In every town there's a Main Street and on Main Street there's a drugstore and in the drugstore there's a soda fountain.”
— Highlighting the uniformity and commonality of small-town America.
“The world's a hospital and we're all patients.”
— A metaphorical view of human suffering and the human condition.
“Money is power and power is money.”
— A blunt statement on the relationship between wealth and influence.
“The only thing that matters is what you do.”
— Emphasizing action over words or intentions in determining one's character.
“History is the record of what one age finds worthy of note in another.”
— Reflecting on the subjective nature of historical recording and memory.
“The city is a machine that makes men lonely.”
— Commenting on the isolating effects of urban industrialization.
“We are all part of the big parade.”
— A metaphor for the collective march of humanity through life and history.
“The future is a big black hole.”
— Expressing uncertainty and anxiety about what lies ahead.
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John Roderigo Dos Passos was an American novelist, most notable for his U.S.A. trilogy.
