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The Sorrows of an American is an absorbing novel, however I do not understand why Hustvedt’s narrative should be taken seriously in an academic discussion. Maybe Erik will answer my question in the final scene by closing the gap between past and present. If this is the anti-climatic resolution of the novel, then why are Erik and Inga important examples of the construction of the self? Throughout literary history there are many novels that use voyeurism or depict everyday life. How do we get from Whitman, one of the most influential American poets, to Hustvedt?  Both are examples of realism in literature, but there is still 150 years missing from the evolution of the self. I think it would be interesting to continue our discussion on course study design. This discussion itself could probably be a semester-long course!