Essay - Day of the Locust This Is an Essay on Nathanael...

Day of the Locust

This is an essay on Nathanael West's Day ***** the Locust, a novel th*****t criticizes Hollywood for creating movies that promise impossible dreams. How do Todd Hackett's and Homer Simpson's relationship with Faye Greener contribute to ***** novel's project of criticizing the ***** film industry? Does the novel offer any hope for an art form (aside from film) ***** can depict the frustrated desire ***** misogynistic violence that surround Faye?

The ***** of ***** Locust" was first published in 1939. ***** West sets his ***** in 1930's Hollywood. It is a satirical and bitter s*****ry, set in present time ***** flashbacks, and told through a third person narrator. There are two protagon*****ts in *****'s novel, Tod Hackett ***** Homer Simpson, both of whom, along with several others, ***** attracted to Faye *****. West allows the reader in***** *****'s emotions, how he feels about others, as well as ***** surroundings, by giving the narrator words that Tod would use to describe the people and places, thus, most of the novel is seen ***** Tod's point of view. West attempts to show ***** addictive attraction as well ***** the deluded reality of glitzy Hollywood. Observing the Mid-Westerners who hang out on ***** streets hoping for a peek into a world they can only imagine in their dreams, Tod labels them as the ones ***** "come to California ***** die" (West 23).

***** decides to paint ***** in h***** upcoming masterpiece, an apocalyptic scene ********** has titled "The Burning ***** Los Angeles" (West 27).

Tod has come ***** Hollywood as a recruit from the Y*****le School of Fine Arts to work as a ***** *****nd costume designer for National Films. As the novel opens, he has only been in Hollywood for three months and is still ***** awe of the ***** and the city. Tod views ***** architectural landscape as well as the movie population as masquerading life, not genuine, merely fronting a f*****cade ***** illusion.

He begins to take ********** of those who stand around on street corners, the wanna-bees who have become ***** and d*****illusi*****ed with time, waiting for ***** big break in***** ***** of glamour and fame. Although his friends from college see his position as a sell*****, Tod sees it ***** an opportunity to study the culture and create his masterpiece. His artistic eye ***** ***** visual detail throughout the story, while his intellectual status allows for criticisms ***** the various characters and interactions. His superior attitude contributes to the tension created in the ***** l*****e, as Tod appears to be a non-participant and positions himself ***** above the others, thinking himself as more enlightened. However, eventually he becomes just as enthralled and caught-up in the Hollywood scene ***** the others (West 1983).

Homer ***** is a transplanted Midwesterner who has come to sunny Cali*****nia for ***** health. Liv*****g on his savings, his days are drab and purposeless. He doesn't fit into any of the categories that Tod has created. He isn't a performer, nor