Richard Russo Term Paper
In all of his novels evaluated Richard Russo wrote things that fit into the theme of social roles in small towns. In ?Straight Man,? ?Mohawk,? and ?Empire Falls,? there are central male characters, William Henry Devereaux, Dallas Younger, and Miles Roby respectively whose lives and the one?s of those connected to them are the focus. Each is middle aged and going through a period of reflection and question during which they are trying to figure out how they got to the current point in their lives and how to improve the relationships with those they care about. Although they all share the similarities of middle aged men, each with their own job, home and set of people they care about, they each provide a very different perspective on small town life.
William Henry Devereaux, a.k.a. Hank, is a professor and the department head of English at the college in the small town he resides within. This sets him apart from Dallas and Miles who both have jobs that are more of the physical labor type. His job although equally dead ended and unfulfilling to him as those of Dallas and Miles, is one of more prestige and intellect. He also doesn?t
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