The octopus examines the struggle of california wheat farmers in the san joaquin valley against the powerful pacific and southwestern railroad monopoly. This mythical work does exist, and has been around for more than a century. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. A story of california kindle edition by norris, frank. Norris was inspired by role of the southern pacific railroad in events surrounding the mussel slough tragedy. As the beast that encircled and strangled ranches, the railroad personified evil.
The octopus is an american classic published in 1901 based on a real conflict between the railroad and the californian farmers in 1880. Rancher magnus derrick and railroad representative s. Based on an actual, bloody dispute between wheat farmers and the southern pacific railroad in 1880, the octopus is frank norris story of the waning days of the frontier west. A story of california is a novel about wheat growers who are in conflict with a railroad company during late 19th century california. It describes the raising of wheat in california, and conflict between the wheat growers and a railway company. The octopus, a story of california, library of congress. A story of california is a 1901 novel by frank norris and the first part of a planned but uncompleted trilogy, the epic of wheat. Title the octopus, a story of california, contributor names norris, frank, 18701902. The octopus, a story of california frank norris on. Frank norris took his style from emile zola and this is certainly evident from the pace, realistic narrative and punchy, dramatic sentimentality of the tale. Click download or read online button to get the octopus book now.
It is a story of california, a california opened up by the railroad to. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Through its owners and agents, it controlled the local paper, the land, the legislature, and even. A story of california for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. The railroad company, controlling the local newspaper, state legislature and the land prove to be a tough force for the local wheat growers to fight against. The octopus, novel by frank norris, published in 1901 and subtitled a story of california. A story of california frank norris based on an actual, bloody dispute between wheat farmers and the southern pacific railroad in 1880, the octopus is frank norris story of the waning days of the frontier west. The epic of the wheat sounds so boring, but i didnt find it boring at all, at least not the first book, by the time the wheat is made into bread and biscuits and all that kind of thing, who knows, perhaps ill be bored. From chapter 2 on the following morning, harran derrick was up and about by a little after six oclock, and a quarter of an hour later had breakfast in the kitchen of the ranch house, preferring not to wait until the chinese cook laid the table in the regular diningroom. The library of alexandria is an independent small business publishing house. Frank norris based novel the octopus a story of california on the mussel slough tragedy of 1880, a bloody conflict between ranchers and agents of the southern pacific railroad.
Richard white on frank norris, the octopus, and the southern pacific railroad. The octopus by frank norris epubbooks download free. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting. On the octopus by frank norris if i were teaching a class on naturalism, the octopus would certainly be one of the best assignments i could make. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. A story of california by frank norris from amazons fiction books store. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. By the end of this novel, norris has thumped his readers over the head with his overarching philosophical theme. A story of california by frank norris available from rakuten kobo. This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf. Nominally, a fictional story of the disputes between a railroad and ranchers in california, it was actually a stern critique of the central pacific. The octopus is about wheat growers who are in conflict with a railroad company during late 19th century california. Behrman square offto disastrous resultsas poet presley, a standin for norris, observes and chronicles the tragedy.
The book emphasized the control of forcessuch as the power of railroad. A story of california is a 1901 novel by frank norris. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the octopus. A story of california is a novel written by author frank norris. The octopus by frank norris on free audio book download. The octopus, first published in 1901, is the tale of a war between wheat growers in california and the railroad trust.
Frank norris 18701902 was an american journalist and novelist. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle. Based on an actual bloody dispute in 1880 between wheat farmers and the southern pacific railroad, this shocking tale of lust for power, greed, and betrayal plays out during the last days of the western frontier. I thought at first that the octopus was a work by ian fleming, but no, its by frank norris, an american writer, inspired by the french writer emile zola, and writing as the 19th century crossed over into the 20th. Frank norris based his 1901 novel the octopus a story of california on the mussel slough tragedy of 1880, a bloody conflict between ranchers and agents of the southern pacific railroad. A story of california is a 1901 novel by frank norris and was the first. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by. March 5, 1870 october 25, 1902 was an american journalist and novelist during the progressive era, whose fiction was predominantly in.
Frank norris, the octopus, novel, 1901 national humanities center. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is the octopus by frank norris, originally published in 1901. The octopus covers a period in california history where the railroads wielded an enormous amount of power not only prior to beginning the octopus, the only thing i knew about frank norris was that his novel the pit inspired upton sinclair to write the jungle i dont know if this is true but the four years between the two books makes it seem plausible. Frank norris 18701902 frank norris based his 1901 novel the octopus a story of california on the mussel slough tragedy of 1880, a bloody conflict between ranchers and. Norris conceived the ambitious idea of writing a trilogy of novels which, taken. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
This book was originally published prior to 1923, and represents a reproduction of an important historical work. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The octopus a story of california by frank norris book 1. The octopus a story of california by frank norris book 1 chapter i just after passing carahers saloon, on the county road that ran south from bonneville, and that divided the broderson ranch from. The octopus frank norris 1870 1902 frank norris based his 1901 novel the octopus a story of california on the mussel slough tragedy of 1880, a bloody conflict between ranchers and agents of the southern pacific railroad.
Based on an actual incident, the octopus is set in the san joaquin valley of central california towards the end of. It was the first volume of the epic of the wheat, his unfinished trilogy about the production, distribution, and consumption of american wheat. Based on the reallife incident of the mussel slough tragedy, the octopus tells the story of a conflict between a group of california wheat ranchers and an allpowerful railroad corporation. This is a turnofthecentury epic of california wheat farmers struggling against the rapacity of the pacific and southwestern railroad, which will stop at nothing. It was the first part of an uncompleted trilogy, titled, the epic of the wheat.
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