Billy Bathegate By E.L. Doctor

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Bathgate is Doctorow�s most famous piece of literature. In fact, the book grasped so much attention that it was later made into a movie with an all star cast including Bruce Willis, Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman. Although the film left out a lot of detail, as so many movies based on novels tend to do, it was interesting to see the elaborate detail given to the clothing, attitude, and backdrop that so accurately reflect the inner city Bronx in the 1930�s. Doctorow�s explicit, graphic detail show his almost fascination with crime and murder. He almost glamorizes the life of crime in Billy Bathgate. Critical Analisys Although Billy Bathgate was written quite recently, there is an influx of critical opinion reflecting the admiration of Doctorow�s artistry in literature. "Critics marveled at Doctorow�s vivid description of New York City in the 1930�s and of the horrific murders committed by Dutch and his gang."(CLC volume 65 Author Overview) "Billy Bathgate is intended as pure myth, a ...

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water." (Clifford p.29) Setting Doctorow accomplishes the task of recreating the Bronx in the 1930�s with perfection. Everything from the attitude of the depression to the realness of the gang scene is more than vividly expressed throughout the novel. It�s almost like Doctorow paints the picture of the 1930�s in such an explicit manner that the reader can smell the tension of financial burden in the air. "Critics marveled at Doctorow�s vivid descriptions of New York City in The 1930�s�" (CLC vol. 65 Author Overview) "Doctorow�s novel makes full and loving use of the manners, the artifacts, the savors and the rhythms of the 30�s. He is marvelously skillful at getting into the thoughts ...

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