Lijuan Dai

Sherwood Anderson, as one of the most important and influential writers in the history of modern American literature, cleverly used the unique writing technique of “epiphany” in his classic work Winesburg, Ohio to vividly reveal the survival predicament and inner struggle of the “Grotesques” under the heavy pressure of modern industrial society. This technique not only shows Anderson’s profound literary insight and exquisite narrative skills, but also has been further tempered and developed in his subsequent literary creation, and has had a profound impact on the development of American literature in later generations. This thesis attempts to deeply analyze the epiphany moment experienced by George Willard, the hero of the town, and explore the key role of spiritual epiphany in his personal growth and psychological changes, and how epiphany affects his cognition and attitude towards the world around him. At the same time, this article will further point out the positive meaning of the work, and explore how Anderson can convey a profound revelation about humanity, growth, and self-redemption to the reader through the story of George Willard.

Sherwood Anderson; Winesburg, Ohio; Epiphany; George Willard

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