Young West
Encyclopedia
Young West: A Sequel to Edward Bellamy's Celebrated Novel "Looking Backward" is an 1894
utopian novel
, written by Solomon Schindler
, radical rabbi of Boston. As its subtitle indicates, the book was one of the many responses and sequels to Edward Bellamy
's famous 1888
novel Looking Backward
, and was one volume in the major wave of utopian and dystopian writing that distinguished the later nineteenth century.
Schindler has earlier translated Looking Backward into German (1890). His sequel was printed by the Arena Publishing Company, a prominent radical house of the 1890s; Schindler and publisher B. O. Flower served together on the board of directors of the American Psychical Society. Flower was responsible for one curious aspect of the book's first edition: he believed that the black-on-white contrast of standard printing caused eyestrain, and decided that the pages of Young West would have colored margins, in blue, green, and yellow.
Schindler's sequel follows upon the plot of Bellamy's original: protagonist Julian West marries heroine Edith Lette, and they soon have a son. Yet West senior dies only two years after his awakening in the year 2000; "Schindler's fictional response was in many ways more sophisticated than the responses of most twentieth-century critics who ignore or downplay West's anguish at the conclusion of Looking Backward." Schindler's book follows the development of the son, "young West," from early youth to eventual triumph, when, after a rigorous campaign, he wins election to the presidency of the United States.
Schindler's book diverges from Bellamy's original, in that where Bellamy placed strong emphasis on religion, Schindler's attitude is agnostic
. (Schindler had already moved away from traditional Judaism
; after a brief flirtation with spiritualism
around 1892, he became a firm skeptic.) Bellamy thought that socialism
would arise first in America, while Schindler expected Europe to be first; he foresaw the weakening of European nationalism and wholesale intermarriage among Europeans.
Schindler's book helps to illustrate the wide reach of the utopian literature of its era. While many books in the genre were authored by White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
males, other works were created by Jewish, Irish (Ignatius Donnelly
's Caesar's Column
and The Golden Bottle), and African-American (Sutton E. Griggs's Imperium in Imperio) writers, and by a number of women.
1894 in literature
The year 1894 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*Robert Frost sells his first poem, "My Butterfly", to The New York Independent for fifteen dollars.*Hermann Hesse begins his apprenticeship at a factory in Calw....
utopian novel
Utopian and dystopian fiction
The utopia and its offshoot, the dystopia, are genres of literature that explore social and political structures. Utopian fiction is the creation of an ideal world, or utopia, as the setting for a novel. Dystopian fiction is the opposite: creation of a nightmare world, or dystopia...
, written by Solomon Schindler
Solomon Schindler
Solomon Schindler was a rabbi and author. He was born at Neisse, Germany, and was educated at Breslau. Coming to the United States during 1871, he was minister of congregations at Hoboken, N. J., and in Boston until 1894. He was also a member of the Boston School Board during 1888-94...
, radical rabbi of Boston. As its subtitle indicates, the book was one of the many responses and sequels to Edward Bellamy
Edward Bellamy
Edward Bellamy was an American author and socialist, most famous for his utopian novel, Looking Backward, set in the year 2000. He was a very influential writer during the Gilded Age of United States history.-Early life:...
's famous 1888
1888 in literature
The year 1888 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Grant Allen - The Devil's Die**The White Man's Foot*Edward Bellamy - Looking Backward*Rolf Boldrewood - Robbery Under Arms...
novel Looking Backward
Looking Backward
Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is a utopian science fiction novel by Edward Bellamy, a lawyer and writer from western Massachusetts; it was first published in 1887...
, and was one volume in the major wave of utopian and dystopian writing that distinguished the later nineteenth century.
Schindler has earlier translated Looking Backward into German (1890). His sequel was printed by the Arena Publishing Company, a prominent radical house of the 1890s; Schindler and publisher B. O. Flower served together on the board of directors of the American Psychical Society. Flower was responsible for one curious aspect of the book's first edition: he believed that the black-on-white contrast of standard printing caused eyestrain, and decided that the pages of Young West would have colored margins, in blue, green, and yellow.
Schindler's sequel follows upon the plot of Bellamy's original: protagonist Julian West marries heroine Edith Lette, and they soon have a son. Yet West senior dies only two years after his awakening in the year 2000; "Schindler's fictional response was in many ways more sophisticated than the responses of most twentieth-century critics who ignore or downplay West's anguish at the conclusion of Looking Backward." Schindler's book follows the development of the son, "young West," from early youth to eventual triumph, when, after a rigorous campaign, he wins election to the presidency of the United States.
Schindler's book diverges from Bellamy's original, in that where Bellamy placed strong emphasis on religion, Schindler's attitude is agnostic
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
. (Schindler had already moved away from traditional Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
; after a brief flirtation with spiritualism
Spiritualism
Spiritualism is a belief system or religion, postulating the belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world have both the ability and the inclination to communicate with the living...
around 1892, he became a firm skeptic.) Bellamy thought that socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
would arise first in America, while Schindler expected Europe to be first; he foresaw the weakening of European nationalism and wholesale intermarriage among Europeans.
Schindler's book helps to illustrate the wide reach of the utopian literature of its era. While many books in the genre were authored by White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP is an informal term, often derogatory or disparaging, for a closed group of high-status Americans mostly of British Protestant ancestry. The group supposedly wields disproportionate financial and social power. When it appears in writing, it is usually used to...
males, other works were created by Jewish, Irish (Ignatius Donnelly
Ignatius Donnelly
Ignatius Loyola Donnelly was a U.S. Congressman, populist writer and amateur scientist, known primarily now for his theories concerning Atlantis, Catastrophism , and Shakespearean authorship, all of which modern historians consider to be pseudoscience and pseudohistory...
's Caesar's Column
Caesar's Column
Caesar's Column: A Story of the Twentieth Century is a novel by Ignatius Donnelly, famous as the author of Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. Caesar's Column was published pseudonymously in 1890...
and The Golden Bottle), and African-American (Sutton E. Griggs's Imperium in Imperio) writers, and by a number of women.