The dream of the great american novel ultimately affirms the importance of literature to a nations sense of itself sarah graham times literary supplement an astonishing feat of erudition the dream of the great american novel takes in all of american literature much of modern european literature and sizeable swaths of world literature it is a book intended to capture the curve of american history the sweep of american culture and the enigmas of national character and it . The first book in many years to take in the full sweep of national fiction the dream of the great american novel explains why this supposedly antiquated idea continues to thrive it shows that four gan scripts are keys to the dynamics of american literature and identity and to the myth of a nation perpetually under construction. One illustrated by the scarlet letter is the adaptation of the novels story line by later writers often in ways that are contrary to the original authors own design other aspirants including the great gatsby and invisible man engage the american dream of remarkable. The dream of the great american novel by lawrence buell peter messent redefines the concept with close readings and illuminating insights we tend to think of the great american novel lawrence buell rightly suggests as the brainchild of another era it harks back to the 19th and early 20th centuries a time of anxious collective