Bernd Steiner – författare

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Catholic University Eichstatt-Ingolstadt, course: Novel and Film (HS), language: English, abstract: This paper deals with John Steinbeck's groundbreaking, Nobel Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939). Causing a public uproar at the time of its publication, it arguably marks the pinnacle of Steinbeck's work and is widely regarded as one of the great classics of American literature. At first, some background information concerning the making and reception of The Grapes of Wrath is presented. This is followed by a closer analysis of the novel with regard to such crucial aspects as setting, structure, characters, themes and symbolism. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of whether the novel lends itself to a film adaptation and how famous director John Ford handled the subject in his critically acclaimed film version from the year 1940.

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Catholic University Eichstatt-Ingolstadt, course: Nineteenth-Century American Short Stories, language: English, abstract: Henry James's short story (or novella, as it's also sometimes labeled) "e;The Turn of the Screw,"e; which was first published in installments in Collier's Weekly Magazine in 1898, is at the same time one of his most popular works of fiction and also the one that has been most controversially discussed. In fact, the question whether the apparitions the governess sees are real ghosts haunting and trying to corrupt the children or merely hallucinations of a neurotic woman "e;blessed"e; with an overactive imagination has stirred so much controversy that it has even led to the formation of two opposing critical camps sometimes referred to as the apparitionists, i.e. those who believe that the ghosts are real, and the non-apparitionists, i.e. those who believe that the ghosts are just a product of the governess's overactive imagination. This question of the ghosts' reality is of course closely linked to the role of the governess as the main character and also narrator of the story, as well as her personality, aims, and motives. Therefore, even apart from the question of the ghosts' reality, which probably will never be solved to everybody's satisfaction anyway, one aspect of the story seems to be worth having a closer look at: is the governess rather a heroic woman unselfishly and selfsacrificingly attempting to save the children from the evil influence the ghosts exert on them, or a hysterical and overly protective character wanting to possess her charges and control their every move? In order to shed some light on this conflict (which, just like the aforementioned question of the ghosts' reality, probably can never be definitely solved), I will first try to sum up the basic information on the governess as provided in the prologue to the actual story, then briefly talk about the point of view from which the action is presented in the narrative proper as well as the effects it has on the reader, and finally discuss various possibilities of characterizing and assessing, based mainly on her actions and statements, the governess and her motives, which I will do in connection with a brief outline of the position some more or less influential critics or critical schools have taken in this matter in the time since the story came out. [...]

Examination Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Catholic University Eichstatt-Ingolstadt, language: English, abstract: As the title suggests, this paper aims at pointing out the major characteristics of the literature of the fantastic and combining this theoretical approach with a study of the work of one of the most significant representatives of said genre, the American writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937). Consequently, the first major part of this paper is dedicated to a brief study of the genre of fantastic literature in general, particularly the very problematic task of defining its distinctive characteristics. By looking at the fantastic tradition in America (particularly that of New England), including the prevalent features and themes marking the American variety of the fantastic, and highlighting the contribution some eminent American authors have made to the genre, the second part then focuses on the fantastic in American literature. Finally, the third major section of this paper provides a detailed study of the life and work of one of the chief American writers of fantastic prose fiction, H. P. Lovecraft. After an account of Lovecraft's life and personality (including some of the countless misconceptions circulating since his death), a critical evaluation of his literary achievement and influences, and a short discussion of his impact on modern popular culture, a large part of this section is dedicated to a thorough analysis of his unique concept of fantastic fiction: while certain aspects of his work inevitably link him to his literary precursors, there are others clearly setting him apart from any writer of the fantastic that came before him. The paper is concluded by brief case studies of three of Lovecraft's most popular short stories.