Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2003 Bone Machines: Hotrods, Hypertextualtiy, and Industrialism William Nesbitt Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact
[email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH BONE MACHINES: HOTRODS, HYPERTEXTUALTIY, AND INDUSTRIALISM By WILLIAM NESBITT A Dissertation submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded Spring Semester, 2003 . The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of William Nesbitt defended on April 8, 2003 . David Kirby Professor Directing Dissertation . Neil Jumonville Outside Committee Member . Eric Walker Committee Member . Virgil Suarez Committee Member ii . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Prof. Kirby, Prof. Jumonville, Prof. Walker, and Prof. Suarez for all of their help, comments, and encouragement. I would also like to thank Marilyn for all of her patience while I typed all night. Additionally, I would like to thank my friends Manson, Harris, Clarris, the Georges, Giganto, Neeman, Gomez, Morticia, Kitty, Cat, Doglefox, Tigs, Scorchio, the Stitches, Grinch, Angelpuss, Cayman, Noil, Bach, and Napoleon. iii . TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract . v 1. "THE DAMNED DESIRE OF HAVING:" ORIGINS AND EXPLANATION OF INDUSTRIAL TENSION AND TELEPISTEMOLOGY IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE . 1 2. "A RAILWAY CANNOT BE A ROAD:" AMERICAN LITERATURE 1900-1950 . .32 3. "RAPID CONSUMPTION:" AMERICAN LITERATURE 1950-70 . 62 4. THE DEATH OF THE TEXT: THE CONTEMPORARY ERA . 94 WORKS CITED . .136 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH . 145 iv . ABSTRACT This study concerns itself with studying the ways in which various texts both examine and display the effects of technology as manifested by automobiles, trains, and computers as well as the change such inventions have brought about socially and economically.