Main-Travelled Roads

The stories in Main-Travelled Roads are set in the rural Midwest primarily in the state of Wisconsin and provide a realistic and often stark portrayal of the lives of farmers their families and the harsh conditions they endured. Key elements and themes of the collection include:Rural Realism: Hamlin Garland was a key figure in the literary movement known as regionalism or local color fiction. He sought to capture the unique character and experiences of the American Midwest depicting the landscape dialects and daily life of the region's inhabitants in a realistic manner.Agricultural Hardships: The stories in Main-Travelled Roads shed light on the struggles of Midwestern farmers including the challenges of working the land coping with unpredictable weather and the economic difficulties they faced.Family and Relationships: Many of the stories explore family dynamics including the tensions between generations marital conflicts and the sacrifices made by parents for the well-being of their children.Social and Economic Injustice: Garland's works often highlight the social and economic injustices faced by rural communities including the exploitation of farmers by wealthy landowners and the harsh labor conditions of the time.Themes of Disillusionment: Some stories in the collection convey a sense of disillusionment and despair as characters grapple with unfulfilled dreams and the harsh realities of their lives.Naturalism: Main-Travelled Roads exhibits elements of literary naturalism a genre that explores how environmental and societal forces shape individuals' lives. Garland's characters often find themselves at the mercy of larger forces beyond their control.