My FYP is an American Studies project because......

......it is sited within the nexus of disciplines which enables the study of the United States of America as a nation state by examining the history, politics, sociology and culture of the ideology of American exceptionalism from the perspective of American literature.

The concept of the United States as an 'exceptional' nation is an historic assumption which is deeply rooted within American ideology and has been transmitted globally by means of American economic and technological hegemony since the late nineteenth century. Although both reinforced, and challenged, by national and international representatives of many disciplines for much of the nation's history, there appears to be a dearth of literary contestation by American-born writers of fiction. My project is therefore based on the hypothesis: 'American literary expression is constrained by an ethos of national exceptionalism'.

In order to test the hypothesis I have chosen to examine the works of a writer who represents the social group which has dominated the United States politically, socially and culturally throughout its history (white, born-Christian and male). My hypothesis assumes that although a representative of the group which has been instrumental in the creation of the myth - and therefore has most investment in it - would be the least likely to contest it, such a writer would also be most enabled (by means of their educational, economic and social advantages) to do so given sufficient motivation. My project assumes that radicalism provides sufficient motive and I will therefore focus on one of the most radical writers of his generation (early twentieth century) - Theodore Dreiser.

I will focus on specific works published during a specific period (probably 1917-1940) of upheaval in American history in order to evaluate the impact of time, major events (First World War, Depression), and the changing social/political/economic climate, on expressions of exceptionalism (and contestation of it) within both his fiction and non-fiction. The study will evaluate whether exceptionalism as a national ideology imposes artistic constraints on writers which are exposed within their non-fiction and/or by records of their personal views - or whether the exceptionalist myth is so instrumental as an agent of American identity and culture as to appear self-evident for even the most radical of American writers.

I will not examine the origins, and oft-cited sources, of the exceptionist myth in detail but, in order to ensure the specificity of the context as wholly American, will make reference to such writers as Winthrop, de Crevecoeur, Jefferson, de Tocqueville, Frederick Jackson Turner, Theodore Roosevelt and Dickens - and situate Dreiser's writings within the context of American historic political and economic events . The major materials examined will be specific Dreiser novels (e.g. American Tragedy), other writings - especially political (e.g. Hey Rub-A-Dub-Dub!), critical works (on Dreiser) and Dresier's personal correspondence, in order to evaluate the degree to which he accepted/contested the ideology of exceptionalism , and which factors (if any) constrained/liberated him as an agent of literary contestation.