Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “Going Home” by Pete Hamill is a modernist work of fiction. One feature of modernism in literature is the focus on the characters and the choice of simplifying the plot. This also happens in “Going Home”, where the story focuses on Vingo and his story. 

Another modernist feature is the use of minimalistic language, which makes stories resemble journalistic reports. In “Going Home”, the language used by Hamill is simple and is similar to everyday life interactions. Modernist fiction often focuses on symbolism, which also happens in Hamill’s story. In “Going Home”, the yellow handkerchief and the tree at the entrance of Brunswick are symbolic of acceptance, resilience, and forgiveness. 

Historical context

Pete Hamill wrote t...