Wieland and Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist

One of the earliest American novels, Wieland (1798) is a tale of suspense and intrigue set in rural Pennsylvania in the 1760's. Based on an actual case of a New York farmer who murdered his family, the novel employs Gothic devices such as spontaneous combustion, ventriloquism, and religious fanaticism.The plot turns on the charming but diabolical intruder Carwin, who exercises his power over the narrator, Clara Wieland, and her family, destroying the order of the small community in which they live. Underlying the mystery and horror, however, is a profound examination of the human mind's capacity for rational judgment. The text also explores some of the issues vital to the survival of democracy in the new American republic: the operation of self-interest and personal style, the effects of sex, gender, and family history on social stability, and the power of language.


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