“THERE ARE AMERICANS CROPPING UP EVERYWHERE”: AMERICAN CHARACTERS IN THE BRITISH ACADEMIC NOVELS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY

Abstract

This paper analyzes how political, economic, and social circumstances that shaped the world after World War II influenced the representation of American characters in British academic novels in the second half of the 20th century. Its primary goal is to find similarities in the depiction of Americans in this genre as the second half of the 20th century unfolded. Britain’s global role changed significantly during this time, while its relationship with the USA became more complicated because of its increasing dependence on the States. The author examines how this new relationship was reflected in British academic novels of the time, which displayed not only a fascination with the USA but also uneasiness, as Britain was forced to be a junior partner in this alliance with a much more powerful country. Since the American and British higher education systems worked closely together through numerous exchange programs at this time, this lively exchange of ideas and people is reflected in the academic fiction. The text also examines the differences in the representation of scholars and professors who are from Great Britain and the USA. The paper analyzed American characters in four British academic novels: Malcolm Bradbury’s Stepping Westward (1965), David Lodge’s The British Museum is Falling Down (1965) and Changing Places: A Tale of Two Campuses (1975), and A. S. Byatt’s Possession: A Romance (1990). The novels were chosen because of their significance in the genre and because they feature prominent American characters. The study concluded that these works mirror the British anxiety over the abovementioned disparity and their interest in the booming American society. The analysis revealed that American characters have many similarities and that they reflect the British fear of American dominance. The analyzed American characters are often depicted as wanting to possess British culture, one way or the other. The author argues that such portrayals can be interpreted as confirmation of the power British culture has, with the implication that Americans can only advance their culture this way. These conclusions underscore that it also causes anxiety for the British characters because they fear the American dominance. This paper provides valuable insight into the depiction of Americans in academic fiction and shows that such characters have many similarities. However, this analysis can be expanded by analyzing a larger number of novels. Also, further analysis can include novels belonging to the 21st century.