Elizabeth Bowen: Impressionism and Characterization

Abstract

<p>Elizabeth Bowen's merit as a writer lies in her style. She depicts people and places and British upper middle class life impressionistically. The impressionistic quality of her characterization and description is the central concern of this thesis.</p> <p>Bowen's use of the subject of love and marriage as a theme is explored and is approached by dividing the broad topic into certain more specific themes. The author's use of death as an impressionistic tool, her description of environment, and the uniqueness of her language, provide additional topics for investigation.</p> <p>Although the small body of criticism on Elizabeth Bowen deals extensively with her treatment of character and her descriptive style, nothing to my knowledge has been said about how her impressionistic technique relies on a sense of isolation. The way characters, author, and reader function in isolation from each other is a consideration that underlies this dissertation's examination of Bowen's fiction.</p>