ThorntThornton on

WilderWilder1897-1897-19751975

“That an American of the present day can create with such delicacy and detachment

touches the soul like a miracle. Here is quiet originality that comes from within.”

–Albert Einstein, in a letter to Thornton Wilder

Born in Madison, Born in Madison, WisconsinWisconsin

Dad: a U.S. diplomatDad: a U.S. diplomatOne older brother One older brother A twin brother who died A twin brother who died at birthat birth

Three sistersThree sisters

Because of his father’s Because of his father’s career, Wilder and his career, Wilder and his siblings spent much of siblings spent much of their childhood in their childhood in China.China.

Education/Early YearsEducation/Early Years

Studied law two years at Studied law two years at Berkeley in CaliforniaBerkeley in California

Served in the U.S. Coast Served in the U.S. Coast Guard in WWIGuard in WWI

Graduated in 1920 from YaleGraduated in 1920 from Yale Earned Master’s degree in Earned Master’s degree in

French from Princeton in 1926French from Princeton in 1926

EARLY SUCCESSESEARLY SUCCESSES

1926—11926—1stst novel: novel: The The CabalaCabala

1927: 21927: 2ndnd novel: novel: The Bridge of San Luis Rey -The Bridge of San Luis Rey -a a

commercial success -1commercial success -1stst Pulitzer Pulitzer prize;prize;…This allowed him to quit teaching to

focus on his writing; kept company with other literary greats such as Hemingway,

Fitzgerald, Stein, etc.

1930’s-’40s1930’s-’40s

1930-37: taught at the University of 1930-37: taught at the University of ChicagoChicago

Life-long interests:Life-long interests: music & teaching music & teaching (besides writing)(besides writing)

1942-1945: member of Army Air Force 1942-1945: member of Army Air Force Intelligence, stationed in No. Africa & Intelligence, stationed in No. Africa & Italy.Italy.

1938: the play, 1938: the play, Our Our Town Town

won Pulitzer Prize won Pulitzer Prize for Dramafor Drama… … one of the most performedone of the most performed plays of the 20th century. plays of the 20th century. ……Wilder played the stage Wilder played the stage manager at one point, manager at one point, himself.himself.

Only Noted CriticismOnly Noted Criticism

Criticisms of the play:Criticisms of the play: “escapist fare” “escapist fare” – – avoided social & political problems of the avoided social & political problems of the day; day; …but his object was to help his …but his object was to help his audiences dream of better timesaudiences dream of better times; ; presents Grover’s Corners in a presents Grover’s Corners in a celebratory fashion rather than a totally celebratory fashion rather than a totally realistic manner; he does present the realistic manner; he does present the vice as well as the virtue, but doesn’t vice as well as the virtue, but doesn’t dwell on buried secrets, hypocrisy, or dwell on buried secrets, hypocrisy, or social injustice that lurks beneath small-social injustice that lurks beneath small-town Amer.town Amer.

Significance of Significance of Publication DatePublication Date

Pub. Date: 1938 – significant Pub. Date: 1938 – significant because of the tremendous because of the tremendous national & international national & international tension (WWII on the horizon, tension (WWII on the horizon, Great Depression, etc.)Great Depression, etc.)

Our Town Our Town directed attention directed attention away from the negative away from the negative aspects of life in the late aspects of life in the late 1930’s.1930’s.

Principal message: appreciate Principal message: appreciate the details & interactions of the details & interactions of everyday life while you’re aliveeveryday life while you’re alive

1942: the play, 1942: the play, The The Skin of our Teeth Skin of our Teeth openedopened

It won him It won him

the Pulitzer the Pulitzer

Prize for DramaPrize for Drama

in 1943.in 1943.

Lieutenant Col. In the Lieutenant Col. In the Army Air Force in WWIIArmy Air Force in WWII

Wilder, shown here, is inspecting bomb damage in London in September 1941.

After WWIIAfter WWIIVisiting professor at Visiting professor at UniversityUniversity of Hawaii of Hawaii

Taught poetry at Taught poetry at HarvardHarvard

He considered himself a He considered himself a TEACHERTEACHER first, and a first, and a WRITERWRITER second, but he second, but he continued writing all his life.continued writing all his life.

1955: the play, 1955: the play, The The Matchmaker, Matchmaker, later later became the basis for became the basis for the hit musical,the hit musical, Hello, Hello, DollyDolly

Received the Received the Presidential Medal of Presidential Medal of Freedom Freedom

in 1963.in 1963.

1975: His last novel, 1975: His last novel, Theophilus NorthTheophilus North, was , was publishedpublished

Record of His DeathRecord of His Death

He died in his He died in his sleep at his home sleep at his home in Hamden, in Hamden, Connecticut on Connecticut on Dec. 7, 1975.Dec. 7, 1975.

On April 17, 1997, the On April 17, 1997, the U.S. Post Office issued a U.S. Post Office issued a Thornton Wilder Thornton Wilder Commemorative Stamp.Commemorative Stamp.

Thornton Wilder is the only Thornton Wilder is the only American writer to have American writer to have received Pulitzer Prizes for both received Pulitzer Prizes for both fiction and drama.fiction and drama.

Our TownOur Town remains one of the remains one of the most produced plays most produced plays celebrating celebrating the precious nature of ordinary the precious nature of ordinary moments in ordinary livesmoments in ordinary lives. .

Last Word on Wilder…