Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day of the Locust

  
Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day of the Locust
by Nathanael West
read: 2013
Time 100 Novels, Modern Library #73, Guardian 1000 Novels

One of the wonderful things about reading through lists like those linked above is finding hidden gems. I never read Nathanael West in high school or college - in fact, I never heard of him. His short, tragic life - he died in a car crash at 39 - likely provides part of the explanation; with only four novels published, he's maybe not considered as essential as more prolific authors.

I loved "Miss Lonelyhearts," the novella that opens this collection. The letters the protagonist receives are heartbreaking that both his retreat from reality and his co-workers' defensive humor ring true. The absurdity and sad tone reminded me a lot of Wise Blood. And while it's an entertaining story, it's also got deeper levels - the paths Miss Lonelyhearts takes to cope with the horror he sees parallel the paths we take in our search for meaning in modern society.

The Day of the Locust had some similar elements - sadness, absurdity, a parallel between the protagonist's struggle and the challenges of modern life - but is longer and has a more-developed plot. I saw some similarities between Faye Greener and Breakfast at Tiffany's Holly Golightly. It also features a character named Homer Simpson, possibly the inspiration for the cartoon character. I didn't like it quite as much as "Miss Lonelyhearts," but both stories show that West is a master author, one that until now flew under the radar for me and perhaps many other readers.