National Avenue

<p><strong><u>National Avenue</u></strong> originally titled The Midlander is <strong>Booth Tarkington</strong>'s final entry in his Growth Trilogy. Like the previous entries in the series <strong><u>National Avenue</u></strong> addresses the rapid industrialization of small-town America at the turn of the century and the socioeconomic changes that such change brings with it.<strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><u>Dan</u></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong><u> Oliphant</u></strong></strong> and his brother <strong><strong>Harlan</strong></strong> are the children of a wealthy small-town businessman. <strong><strong>Harlan</strong></strong> is a traditional upper-class man-affecting an accent dressing for dinner and contemplating beauty and culture-while <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong> is boisterous and lively eager to do big things. <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong> sees the rise of industry in America's east as a harbinger for his own Midwestern town and sets his mind on building an industrial suburb Ornaby Addition next to his city's downtown.<strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong>'s idea is met with scorn and mockery from not only his family but also his fellow townspeople. <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong> persists nonetheless and soon the town must contend with his dream becoming a reality: noisy cars smoky factories huge unappealing buildings and the destruction of nature and the environment become the new normal as <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong>'s industrial dream is realized.<strong><u>Where The Turmoil</u></strong> focuses on industrialization's effect on art and culture and <strong><u>The Magnificent Ambersons</u></strong> focuses on industry's destruction of family and of small-town life <strong><u>National Avenue</u></strong> focuses on the men and women who actually bring that change about. <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong> is portrayed sympathetically but Tarkington makes it clear that his dreams and choices lead to a deeply unhappy family life and the ruination of the land around him. But can <strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Dan</strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong></strong> really be faulted for his dream or is industry inevitable and inevitably destructive?</p>