James Agee
James Agee: A Life of Literary Excellence
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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James Rufus Agee was born on November 27, 1909, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is commonly known as Jim Agee.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: November 27, 1909
Died: May 16, 1955
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Agee was an American writer, poet, film critic, and social activist. His work spanned multiple genres, including literature, journalism, and screenwriting.
Early Life and Background
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Growing up in a middle-class family, Agee developed a passion for writing at an early age. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he began to explore his creative voice through poetry and short stories. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue a career in journalism.
Major Accomplishments
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Agee's most notable work is his novel A Death in the Family, published posthumously in 1957. The book is a semi-autobiographical account of his family's struggles and his own coming-of-age experiences. This literary masterpiece earned him numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize nomination.
Notable Works or Actions
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Agee's writing career was marked by several notable works:
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941): A non-fiction book about poverty in the Deep South during the Great Depression.
The American Writer and the Hollywood Studio System (1954): An essay collection critiquing the film industry's treatment of writers.
* Agee on Film (2000): A posthumous publication of his screenwriting work, including scripts for films like The African Queen.
Impact and Legacy
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Agee's writing had a profound impact on American literature. His unique blend of lyricism, social commentary, and personal introspection influenced generations of writers, including Truman Capote and John Updike. As a pioneer in social documentary, Agee's work shed light on the struggles of ordinary people during times of economic hardship.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Agee is widely quoted and remembered for his poignant observations on human nature, social justice, and the role of art in society. His writing continues to resonate with readers today, offering a powerful voice from a bygone era. As a masterful storyteller, Agee's legacy extends far beyond his individual works, inspiring ongoing discussions about literature, morality, and the human condition.
Agee's life was cut short when he died of a heart attack on May 16, 1955, at the age of 45. Despite his untimely passing, his body of work remains an enduring testament to his innovative spirit, literary genius, and commitment to social responsibility.
Quotes by James Agee
Little houses, bigger ones, scrolled and capacious porches, dark windows, leaves of trees already rich with May, homes of rooms which chambered sleep as honey is cherished, drifted past their slow walking and were left behind, and not a light in any home.
I feel as I were disintegrating and “growing up”, whatever that means, simultaneously.
When grief and shock surpass endurance there occur phases of exhaustion, of anesthesia in which relatively little is left and one has the illusion of recognizing, and understanding, a good deal.
And it was respect he needed, infinitely more than love. Just not to have to worry about whether people respect you. Not ever to have to feel that people are being nice to you because they are sorry for you, or afraid of you.
I’ll do what little I can in writing. Only it will be very little. I’m not capable of it; and if I were, you would not go near it at all. For if you did, you would hardly bear to live.
He always felt different once he was across the river. This was the real, old, deep country, now. Home country. The cabins looked different to him, a little older and poorer and simpler, a little more homelike; the trees and rocks seemed to come differently out of the ground; the air smelled different.
It is a peculiar part of the good photographer’s adventure to know where luck is most likely to lie in the stream, to hook it, and to bring it in without unfair play and without too much subduing it.
A girl’s brain is mysterious, but only in a superficial way-a way very exasperating to me.
Well, now, some people learn a little quicker than others. It’s nice to learn fast but it’s nice to take your time too.