Jason Edwards: An Average Man
Jason Edwards: an Average Man is an 1892 novel by American author Hamlin Garland. First published by the Arena Publishing Company in Boston, the novel is divided into two parts entitled "The Mechanic" and "The Farmer", respectively. There are two major settings that accompany each section. In the first part, the setting is in Boston and then moves to Boomtown, a prairie town in the Midwest, in the second part. The book takes place over a period of ten years, beginning in 1879 and finishing in 1889, but an important part of the novel takes  place in 1884 as well. Most scenes written about in the novel are set in the summer months. "Jason Edwards" takes place during the Gilded Age in American History. Garland wrote "Jason Edwards" to promote the taxation and land reform theories of Henry George. Plot. Part I - The Mechanic. The story begins with Garland introducing Walter Reeve, described as level-headed. It was 1869 and he has just arrived in Boston after finishing college and takes stock of his new surroundings. After procuring lodging in this new city, Walter visits the newspaper "Events" in search of employment. After a short  conversation with one of the editors, Walter is told to go see Mr. Dagget, an older editor who decides to give Walter a chance after a few amusing comments from the young man. Walter then resolves to know the town better than anyone, including street names, landmarks, and the people that inhabit them. While studying the city, he sends in stories to Dagget, which are occasionally used by the paper. After continuing his efforts to gain a position at "Events" and sending in story after story, Walter is eventually given a small salary. His workload becomes heavier and heavier, but  he uses it as a chance to show his value. "Life went on amazingly well for him" and within five years Walter becomes the "Dramatic Editor" on the "Events" with a good salary. One day in his fifth year in the city, while Walter Reeves is observing the Boston bustle, a girl passes by that catches his eye and stays in his mind as he loses sight of her. He romanticizes about this mysterious girl for weeks when his artist friend, Jerome Austin, convinces him to come out one night. That night Walter sees the mysterious girl, who he sees  singing, and finally meets her, learning her name is Alice (Allie) Edwards. He talks with Alice and learns her address, 700 Pleasant Avenue. During their conversation she mentions her father is a mechanic, but it is of no consequence to Walter. Jason Edwards is then introduced as Allie's father when she leaves Walter for the night. He asks about Walter, and Alice replies that he liked her song very much, which her little sister, Linnie, promptly agrees with. We learn that Jason Edwards is a reserved, hard working man, and Alice wishes she could work to give her father  rest. Meanwhile, Walter Reeves is completely lovestruck and merry with thoughts of Alice. One stifling hot day in June, Reeves is walking with Alice along Pleasant Avenue. The scene is a loud and confusing mess, with children and workers running amuck. They arrive at Alice's home, which has the effect of "tasteful economy, but not comfort." Alice sits at the piano in the room, and Mrs. Edwards, Alice's mother, gives the two young people some privacy. Reeves and Alice are alone now. We learn they have been together for a year, and Reeves hopes desperately to marry her  as soon as possible. Alice is indefinite in her decision to marry him because she says she is happy now. She says she wants to make her own money, and Reeves responds by calling her a modern woman. Alice claims she can not be dependent and that she "wants" to work. Eventually, they come to a stalemate when Alice tells Reeves that she can not leave her parents in horrible conditions, and the lovers part ways. Linnie informs everyone that "poppa" (Jason Edwards) is home. Jason Edwards says his work is "one eternal tread-mill" and continues to complain about  the increasing struggle. When the family receives a notice that rent will be raised, Jason Edwards has the shadow of defeat across his face. After suffering this new setback, the family eventually resolves to move west, where Edwards claims there is free land and no landlords. Jason Edwards seems like a new man to everyone. He informs the men at his previous workplace of his plan, where some decide to join and other decline. He uses this time to take in all that he is leaving, and it has never looked worse to him. Walter Reeves muses over Alice. He  attends a man's sermon about poverty, where Reeves has a revelation about the overall discontent in the city. His co-workers praise him the next day for his article on the subject, and then have their own argument about how to remedy the situation. Reeves receives a letter from Alice asking for his presence, and he leaves as Mr. Dagget and the other editors tease him. Reeves believes Alice wants to accept his request for marriage, but then he learns that she and the family are moving to the West. Reeves accuses Alice of leaving him, but Alice defends  herself by saying her family needs her. In the end, the lovers part ways again and Alice promises to write. Part II - The Farmer. It is an intolerably hot day in Boomtown in July, 1889. Boomtown is the prairie town where the Edwards family now resides. We are introduced to Judge Balser, Frank Graham, and Hank Whiting, who are all lounging in the judge's office. His office is painted with the words: "Land Agent and Attorney-at-Law." The three men speak of tough times and mention that the Edwards family is having a rough time and might go  under. We learn that Alice is the only thing stopping the farm from going under with her work as a music teacher. Frank Graham remarks that the West was supposed to be perfect for a poor man, which offends the judge. Judge Balser is the landlord of the West to the Edwards family and many others as we learn he has sold them all land. Another farmer by the name of Elliot stops by at the judge's office. He jokes with the men and tells them about the worrisome harvest that he and Edwards share. After he leaves, the  three lounging men spot an approaching figure in the distance, who they label as a tenderfoot. The figure is Walter Reeves, coming to visit Alice. He has only received cold, formal letters from her. In her absence, his mother moved in with him. Reeves is visiting Alice now because his mother has died, and he wants Alice to come home with him, so he is not alone. Reeves stops by the judge's office hoping to find information about the Edwards family. Judge Balser is putting on a charade to trick Reeves as he enters. Reeves plays along at first , but later drops the act when he learns about the reality of the West, becoming more worried about Alice's condition. Frank befriends him, gives him some unsettling information about the Edwards family, and they go to dinner. The Edwards homestead is a beaten and shelterless shanty. There is nothing to hide a child against the unyielding sun. Jason Edwards works as hard as ever, and has become bent and lame due to the midwestern farming life. Alice is worn and weary, peering off into the distance, but then sees a carriage approaching. As Edwards staggers out to the fields , Reeves arrive at the shanty to find Alice. Contrary to her letters, Alice longed for his company and Reeves is just as happy to see her. They begin arguing over Alice leaving her family, and Reeves offers an ultimatum. If she does not come with him, then they will never see each other again. Alice is resilient, and Reeves helplessly rides away in the carriage. Alice is distraught over her decision. Her mother believes she should have left with Reeves. As Mrs. Edwards is comforting her daughter, Judge Balster and Frank Graham arrive at the shanty. Alice pleads for mercy  from the judge about the mortgage, but he calmly refuses. Alice is indignant and realizes that life in the West is no different than Boston as they will be homeless again. All visitors leave as Edwards returns home. Jason Edwards arrives home defeated. He has no hope left and claims his life a failure. After fifty years of labor, he still cannot provide for his family. Mrs. Edwards suggests selling the farm and returning to Boston, but Edwards says no one will buy it. Linnie spots a brewing storm in the distance and alerts the family. They all huddle  together as the storm begins, showering the farm. The thunderstorm becomes fierce as hail pounds the shanty and winds rip out the windows. After the storm ended, the farm is a wreck. The shanty is ruined, and all the crops are flattened beyond repair. Jason Edwards is unconscious and Mrs. Edwards is completely speechless. Alice orders Linnie to go to Mrs. Elliot, and she tries her best to take care of her father and mother. After Reeves rides away, he regrets his anger and wishes to go back to ask for forgiveness, but the storm stops him. He is forced  into Elliot's house for shelter with Frank Graham and Judge Balser as well. Afterwards, Linnie brings word to everyone at the Elliot farm about what happened to her family. They all rush to the shanty, where they find Alice bending over her father. As they all ride to Graham's house for medical attention, Reeves notes nature's forgetfulness of man: "she knows not, and cares nothing." In the midst of Edwards' shaky state, Reeves and Alice speak again about their life together. Reeves desperately hopes Alice will come with him after this incident, but Alice repeats that her  first duty is to her parents. When Edwards wakes from his stupor, he finds everyone standing over him, and is surprised to see Reeves. He realizes the situation and figures he might as well die. Edwards is broken, saying he has been driven out of everywhere, including Derry, Boston, and now the West. "They ain't no landlords in the grave," he says. His family weeps and leave to find him more comfort. While Reeves remains, Edwards realizes he is paralyzed, but forbids Reeves to tell anyone. Reeves realizes he is present at an American tragedy, the collapse of the  working man. Reeves says he will take care of the family from now on, but Edwards refuses, his pride still intact. At last, after an impassioned speech from Reeves about Edwards' heroic worldwide battle against hunger and cold, he relents and allows Reeves to bring him back to Derry. Reeves will finally be with Jason Edwards will receive the rest he desires. In the final scene of the novel, the family and Reeves are heading back on a train, and Edwards smiles as the sun streams across his daughter's heads. Themes. Hamlin Garland is an author who is best  known for his work involving the hard-working Midwestern farmer. "Jason Edwards" is about the widening social gap between classes during the Gilded Age, and the injustices that lower-class workers suffered. Industrial work is compared to frontier hardships through the story of Jason Edwards, a man who suffers disappointment his entire life. We witness the collapse of the working man as Edwards struggles against falling wages and rising rents. He never escapes this problem even in the West, demonstrating the hopelessness and tragedy of the average working man's situation. They are forever subjugated to big bosses and landlords . Edwards has had a terribly unfulfilled life, but in the end of the novel he smiles. He sees his daughters escaping from the difficult life he had, and knows that they will not share his hardship for the rest of their lives. Alice could have left with Reeves earlier, and Reeves could have helped the entire family with his wealth, but Alice and her father have too much pride to neglect their duties. Alice feels her family needs her support, and Edwards needs to support his family with his own two hands. Edwards is a product of his society, a  hard-working individual who feels his work is his freedom, yet it subdues him. Pride is important to Garland, and he thinks it an inevitable part of personality, but as shown by the ending of "Jason Edwards", he also understands that it is another obstacle to overcome in order to gain freedom. The romance between Walter Reeves and Alice Edwards follows a classic story. Boy meets girl, boy falls in love, and then marriage follows, except marriage never came to these two. Although the novel revolves around their desperate attempt to be together, they never marry during the story. Neither  of them has any fatal condition and their parents have no complaints, but Alice repeatedly refuses his marriage proposals. Their detained bondage is a result of the working man's plight, in this case Jason Edwards' hardship. The troubles of the time affect all aspects of life, even love. The fact that they cannot be together can be traced back to her family's poor economic conditions due to her father's horrible job. The dysfunctional relationship between Reeves and Alice is just another product of society, and proves the strength of the oppressive times. Reception and Sales. "Jason  Edwards" was Hamlin Garland's first published novel, but "critics found little to commend." According to Keith Newlin's "Hamlin Garland: a life", Garland was praised for his talents of description, but everything else seemed bland. He had a tendency to "focus on the exterior rather than the interior." In response to "Jason Edwards", the "Chicago Tribune" asserted that Garland "paints a terrible picture and he paints it well." After his novels were criticized for their "bludgeon-like quality of realism," his career diminished. Around this time, he even quit his teaching position at the Boston School of Oratory, so  his primary source of income was from his writing. "More disheartening than the sneering criticism was the disappointing sales..." From 1891 to 1893, Garland earned $612.85 from his publishings. From Jason Edwards alone 2,378 copies in paper were sold and 212 copies in cloth were sold, which was little but not uncommon. He later remarked to a reporter, "Where literature fails financially is in bookmaking." Garland moved around cities, from Boston to New York City, and to Chicago trying to find the right publishing firm. No matter where he went, he had a difficult time financially. Later when he  was preparing to publish works in Chicago he wrote a series of letters to his publisher. In these letters Garland discusses monetary concerns mostly. The analyst of these letters, John T. Flanagan, remarks, "Garland was increasingly disturbed by the failure of his books to sell and by his consequently limited income."