John Dos Passos

John Dos Passos Biography

John Roderigo Dos Passos (January 14, 1896 – September 28, 1970) was an American novelist and artist, renowned for his innovative narrative techniques and keen social commentary. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of a wealthy lawyer of Portuguese descent. Dos Passos graduated from Harvard University in 1916 and volunteered as an ambulance driver during World War I, experiences that profoundly influenced his literary work.

After the war, Dos Passos became associated with the "Lost Generation" of writers, producing works that critiqued American society and politics. His early novels, such as Three Soldiers (1921) and Manhattan Transfer (1925), showcased his experimental style and social concerns. His most ambitious project, the U.S.A. trilogy—comprising The 42nd Parallel (1930), 1919 (1932), and The Big Money (1936)—offered a panoramic view of American life in the early 20th century, blending fiction with newsreels, biographies, and autobiographical "Camera Eye" sections.

Throughout his career, Dos Passos was politically active, initially aligning with leftist movements but becoming increasingly conservative over time. He continued to write novels, essays, and travel books, and also pursued painting. Dos Passos passed away on September 28, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland, leaving a legacy as a pioneering modernist writer and social critic.

Trivia About John Dos Passos

• Dos Passos was a classmate of E. E. Cummings at Harvard University.
• He was an ambulance driver during World War I, serving alongside fellow writer Ernest Hemingway.
• Dos Passos was also a talented painter, with his artworks exhibited in galleries.
• His political views shifted from socialism in his youth to conservatism in his later years.

Famous Quotes by John Dos Passos

• "A satirist is a man whose flesh creeps so at the ugly and the savage and the incongruous aspects of society that he has to express them as brutally and nakedly as possible to get relief."
• "The mind cannot support moral chaos for long. Men are under as strong a compulsion to invent an ethical setting for their behavior as spiders are to weave themselves webs."
• "We work to eat to get the strength to work to eat to get the strength to work."

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who was John Dos Passos?

John Dos Passos was an American novelist and artist, best known for his U.S.A. trilogy, which provides a panoramic critique of early 20th-century American society.

What is the U.S.A. trilogy?

The U.S.A. trilogy is a series of three novels—The 42nd Parallel, 1919, and The Big Money—that blend fiction with experimental narrative techniques to depict American life in the early 20th century.

How did World War I influence Dos Passos's work?

Serving as an ambulance driver during World War I exposed Dos Passos to the horrors of war, profoundly shaping his anti-war sentiments and critical perspective on society, evident in works like Three Soldiers.

Related Literary Movements

John Dos Passos was a key figure in the modernist literary movement, known for his experimental narrative techniques and critical portrayal of contemporary society. He is also associated with the "Lost Generation" of writers who emerged after World War I.

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