Granville Hicks

Granville Hicks was a prominent American writer, critic, and educator, known for his work as a literary critic and his involvement with the American Communist Party. He was a key figure in the New York Intellectuals circle, which included notable writers and thinkers such as Lionel Trilling, Irving Howe, and Alfred Kazin. Hicks' writing often appeared in publications like the New Masses and the Partisan Review, where he engaged with the works of authors like Theodore Dreiser, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. His critiques also touched on the writings of John Steinbeck, Richard Wright, and Langston Hughes.

● Early Life and Education

Granville Hicks was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and grew up in a family that valued Harvard University-educated intellectuals. He attended Dartmouth College, where he developed an interest in writing and literature, particularly in the works of Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Mark Twain. After graduating, Hicks went on to teach at Harvard University, Columbia University, and Yale University, where he interacted with scholars like Perry Miller, Lionel Trilling, and Edmund Wilson. His early education and teaching experiences influenced his later work as a literary critic, especially in his assessments of American literature, including the works of Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edith Wharton.

● Career

Hicks' career as a writer and critic spanned several decades, during which he wrote for various publications, including the New Yorker, The Nation, and the Saturday Review. He was also a prolific book reviewer, covering works by authors such as William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Flannery O'Connor. In addition to his critical writings, Hicks published several books, including a biography of Thomas Jefferson and a study of American literary history, which explored the contributions of writers like Henry James, Edith Wharton, and Stephen Crane. His work often intersected with that of other notable critics, such as Malcolm Cowley, Van Wyck Brooks, and Lewis Mumford.

● Literary Criticism and Contributions

As a literary critic, Granville Hicks was known for his insightful analyses of American literature, particularly in the context of social realism and the American Renaissance. He wrote extensively on the works of John Dos Passos, Erskine Caldwell, and James T. Farrell, and was instrumental in promoting the careers of younger writers like Nelson Algren and Jack Conroy. Hicks' critiques also engaged with the ideas of Marxism and socialism, reflecting his interest in the American Left and its relationship to literature, as seen in the works of Mike Gold and Joseph Freeman. His contributions to literary criticism were recognized by his peers, including Robert Penn Warren, Allen Tate, and John Crowe Ransom.

● Personal Life and Politics

Granville Hicks' personal life was marked by his involvement with the American Communist Party, which he joined in the 1930s. He was a member of the National Council of American-Soviet Friendship and supported various left-wing causes, including the Spanish Civil War and the American Labor Party. Hicks' political views were influenced by thinkers like Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin, and Georg Lukacs, and he was critical of fascism and imperialism. His relationships with other writers and intellectuals, such as Whittaker Chambers, Victor Navasky, and Irving Kristol, were often shaped by their shared political interests and debates.

● Legacy and Impact

Granville Hicks' legacy as a literary critic and writer continues to be felt, with his work influencing scholars like Sacvan Bercovitch, Myra Jehlen, and Gerald Graff. His contributions to the field of American studies are recognized by institutions like the American Studies Association and the Modern Language Association. Hicks' writing also remains relevant in the context of cultural studies and critical theory, with his critiques of capitalism and imperialism continuing to resonate with scholars like Fredric Jameson, Terry Eagleton, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. As a testament to his enduring impact, Hicks' work remains a vital part of the intellectual landscape, engaging with the ideas of Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Cornel West. Category:American writers