James A. Michener's novel "The Novel"

This study will discuss James A. Michener's novel The Novel, from the perspective of the psychology of creativity. Specifically, the study will examine the actions and lives of the major characters in the book, using the concepts of Abraham Maslow and Carl Jung, and will expound on whether or not the pastor present experience of the characters brings them closer to creativity and helps them move creatively forward.

Michener seems to be arguing that the two writers in the first two sections of his book fit into two distinct categories of creativity. The first writer is Lukas Yoder, and the second writer is Benno "Bruce" Rattner. Michener is far from the most creative artist himself, so that his message, or warning, about creativity is a plodding one. In fact, the writer whom Michener champions---Yoder---is a largely plodding writer himself, but that quality is precisely what the author sees as the most desirable in an artist. Yoder plods along, turning out books about the Pennsylvania German Dutch, books which even his editor admits are dull (but getting less dull). He refuses to write books which are more interesting, but he seems to be gathering unto himself something of a readership among those who like dull books about the Pennsylvania Dutch.

On the other hand, we have the creative pariah in Michener's world---Benno Rattner. He is a passionate, driven, fiery writer, with one defect---he can't finish what seems to be the only book

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h allow him or her to actualize and create. Above all, Maslow seems to emphasize self-acceptance as the primary quality of the self-actualized creator, along with "the personality rather than its achievements" (Maslow 6). Applying these concepts to Michener's characters, we run into a number of difficulties with respect to Yoder, certainly the central character in the book. There are many other characters trying to make sense of their world in this novel, but few seem to be as grounded in self-acceptance as Yoder. The "Editor" comes to some sort of decision finally with respect to the abusive Benno, and she sticks to her guns with respect to Yoder, but she seems to be driven by the desire to succeed in the world of publishing according to others' standards than to achieve some ultimate sense of self. It takes more than a name change (Michener 179) to bring one to self-actualizing creativity. If Shirley (Yvonne) has a peak experience which leads to creativity (the name change?), it is finding Benno with a knife in his Adam's apple, but she seems to have recovered quickly from that trauma. Her "transformation" after the funeral is related in terms of book sales and editorial power and success which she has gained as the result of

Category: Literature - J