The Enormous Room

<p><strong><em>The Enormous Room</em></strong> is an autobiographical novel by the poet E. E. Cummings based on his experiences as a prisoner in France during World War I. The book is a blend of memoir satire and poetic storytelling offering a unique perspective on war bureaucracy and the resilience of the human spirit.</p><p>In 1917 Cummings volunteered as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service in France. Along with his friend William Slater Brown he was arrested by French authorities on suspicion of espionage due to Brown's letters expressing pacifist sentiments. Cummings though innocent was imprisoned in La Ferté-Macé an internment camp for several months before being released.</p><p>The title <em>The Enormous Room</em> refers to the large overcrowded dormitory where he and other prisoners lived. Through vivid often surreal descriptions Cummings portrays the absurdity of military bureaucracy the harshness of imprisonment and the colorful personalities of his fellow detainees.</p><p><em>The Enormous Room</em> stands out as a unique war memoir-less about battle and more about the absurdity of the systems behind it. It offers a glimpse into Cummings' early literary style and his lifelong themes of individuality defiance and poetic expression.</p><p></p><p></p>