Silent Film and the Formations of U.S. Literary Culture: Literature in Motion

Silent Film and the Formations of U.S. Literary Culture: Literature in Motion explores the defining moment in American literary history during the emergence and development of motion pictures across the silent-film era. Author Sarah Gleeson-White outlines the far-reaching and transformative impact of motion pictures on literary culture and the rivalry of both factions to claim mastery of narrative realism and audience enthrallment. The book tells the story of the inextricable entanglement of the literary and motion-picture industries, revealing new layers in cross-media expressive and industrial practices. Gleeson-White answers the most poignant questions about the intersection of literature and film during this pivotal moment in time, exploring the manifold ways in which early-twentieth-century literary culture sought both to harness and temper the reach of motion pictures.