A Search for America: The Odyssey of an Immigrant: Analysis of Major Characters
"A Search for America: The Odyssey of an Immigrant" explores the journey of Philip Branden, a young Swedish immigrant navigating the challenges of life in America. Educated and cultured, Philip quickly discovers that his previous accomplishments hold little value in the realities of his new environment. As he travels from Toronto to various locations in the U.S., he takes on a series of menial jobs, revealing his struggle to adapt and find his place in the world. Throughout his journey, Philip encounters several key characters, each offering unique perspectives on American life.
Frank Carral, a fellow waiter, exemplifies the moral complexities Philip faces, as he engages in dishonest practices to succeed. Mr. Ray, a fellow aspiring artist, reflects Philip's own artistic aspirations and the challenges of pursuing one's dreams. Dr. Goodwin serves as a symbol of genuine kindness, aiding Philip during a moment of illness and embodying the virtues he seeks in America. The Hermit provides Philip with an understanding of the importance of human connection and cooperation, while Ivan, a Russian hobo, teaches him about resilience and the harsh realities of transient life. Collectively, these characters shape Philip's evolving understanding of America, highlighting themes of struggle, friendship, and the quest for identity in a new land.
A Search for America: The Odyssey of an Immigrant: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Frederick Philip Grove
First published: 1927
Genre: Novel
Locale: Toronto and various U.S. locations
Plot: Bildungsroman
Time: The early 1900's
Philip Branden, the protagonist, a young Swedish immigrant to America. Tall and thin, with blue eyes and fair hair, Philip is educated, well-traveled, wealthy, cultured, and a bit pretentious; he speaks five languages fluently, knows fine wine, and has an eye for good clothing. When his money runs out and he travels to the United States at the age of twenty-four, he finds that none of these accomplishments is of any value to him in making his way in the New World. As he wanders from Toronto to New York, through the Midwest and into the Dakotas, he works as a waiter, a door-to-door salesman, a factory worker, and a harvester. He quickly learns that he is better suited for intellectual than manual labor. As he searches for work and for the America of Abraham Lincoln, he reflects on nature, art, education, and American and European values.
Frank Carral, a waiter in a Toronto restaurant and Philip's first real friend in America. Frank is a small young man with a pleasant voice, dancing eyes, and a laughing manner, and he is the most successful waiter on the staff. Philip learns, however, that Frank is successful because he steals, and Frank defends his petty graft on the grounds that it is simply the way things are done in the United States. As it turns out, Frank is living under an assumed name, hiding from the wife he abandoned in Buffalo. He encourages Philip to try New York City and provides him with the names and addresses of contacts there. All the names turn out to be phony.
Mr. Ray, a fellow book salesman in New York and Philip's second friend. Like Philip, Ray was born for a different sort of work, and his great desire is to be an artist. A tall, slender man with graceful movements and dark flowing hair, he begins to read great works under Philip's guidance. When he and Philip meet again after going their separate ways, just before Philip heads west, Ray is working in Harlem as a sign painter, one big step closer to his dream of creating art.
Dr. Goodwin, a generous country doctor who puts Philip back on his feet after he becomes ill in his travels. Goodwin has gnarled fingers, coarse features, and ill-fitting clothes, but he is one of the finest men Philip will ever know. Treating Philip's illness without any consideration for his fees, finding him a home and a job, and staking him enough money to get a few necessities, Goodwin acts purely from a sense of humanity. He is the first important contact Philip makes in what he soon comes to consider the “real America,” the rural America of good-hearted laborers.
The Hermit, a recluse in the tobacco belt who gives Philip another perspective on life. A tall, gaunt man with long, braided hair and shaggy brows, he resembles a portrait Philip has seen of Mark Twain. When Philip saves the Hermit from drowning, the Hermit takes him in for a few days, sharing his meager home and food with Philip. The two work side by side. The Hermit is Philip's first human company in three months, although he never speaks, except for two words as Philip leaves. From this experience, Philip learns that advancing in America depends on give and take, and that he does have something to give.
Ivan, a thirty-five-year-old Russian immigrant who teaches Philip the life and methods of a hobo. A sallow-skinned man with a dark, curly beard, he reminds Philip of Titian's paintings of Christ. His nickname at some of the farms where he works is “Jesus.” Ivan speaks perfect English and has delicate and refined manners, but he is as physically strong as Philip is weak and often does the work of two men when Philip cannot do his share. No idle drifter, Ivan rides the rails from town to town finding work and saving money, hoping one day to buy a small farm and settle down with a wife and children.