This thesis investigates how John Williams’s three major works of fiction — Butcher’s Crossing, Stoner, and Augustus — are narratively structured around three main characters who embody the tenets of stoic and Emersonian transcendental philosophy, respectively. Williams uses these characters to promote and critique preconceived notions of heroic masculinity as structured within these philosophies. Through an analysis of form, this thesis will explore how Williams scaffolds his three main characters around the language and ideas present within each philosophical school. Williams’s portrayal of heroic masculinity, as seen through a feminist perspective, questions the ideal masculine hero, which will be discussed herein. The current critical work surrounding Williams’s fiction fails to point out and discuss just how Williams constructs his heroes around philosophical frameworks because the focus is too often placed on the narrative and not the characters themselves. Through this analysis and critique of heroic masculinity in the works of John Williams, we can glean insights into broader questions of heroism as it is embodied in character and how that heroism is often embedded in constructed tropes of masculinity.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis investigates how John Williams’s three major works of fiction — <em>Butcher’s Crossing, Stoner</em>, and <em>Augustus</em> — are narratively structured around three main characters who embody the tenets of stoic and Emersonian transcendental philosophy, respectively. Williams uses these characters to promote and critique preconceived notions of heroic masculinity as structured within these philosophies. Through an analysis of form, this thesis will explore how Williams scaffolds his three main characters around the language and ideas present within each philosophical school. Williams’s portrayal of heroic masculinity, as seen through a feminist perspective, questions the ideal masculine hero, which will be discussed herein. The current critical work surrounding Williams’s fiction fails to point out and discuss just how Williams constructs his heroes around philosophical frameworks because the focus is too often placed on the narrative and not the characters themselves. Through this analysis and critique of heroic masculinity in the works of John Williams, we can glean insights into broader questions of heroism as it is embodied in character and how that heroism is often embedded in constructed tropes of masculinity.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sepede, Cameron"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A.","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["W. Scott Howard","Eric Gould","Naomi Reshotko"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2023,"date_issued":"2023-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2023-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:01:39Z","subjects":["Augustus","Butcher's Crossing","Historical realism","John Williams","Stoicism","Stoner","Arts and Humanities","English Language and Literature","Literature in English, North America","Other Philosophy","Philosophy"],"languages":["English (eng)"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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