"Untimely Papers" by Randolph Silliman Bourne is a collection of essays written in the early 20th century, reflecting on the societal and psychological implications of war and culture during World War I. The work predominantly critiques the intellectual class's support for the war and delves into the burdens of conformity placed upon individuals by societal expectations. The primary focus revolves around the impact of war on personal identity, freedom, and the annulling
of ideals. At the start of "Untimely Papers," the editor's foreword introduces the significance of Bourne's perspective as a leading voice among the intellectuals of his time, emphasizing his disillusionment with mainstream attitudes toward the war. Bourne portrays the harrowing challenge faced by individuals, exemplified by a young friend who grapples with forced conscription amid a prevailing sense of apathy and resentment. This friend, more a product of societal norms than a free agent, embodies the struggle to reconcile personal aspirations with external pressures, highlighting Bourne's profound exploration of individuality in the face of a wider collective mentality influenced by war and societal expectations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Old tyrannies -- The war and the intellectuals -- Below the battle -- The collapse of American strategy -- A war diary -- Twilight of idols -- Unfinished fragment on the state.
Credits
Emmanuel Ackerman, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 47.6 (College-level). Difficult to read.
