Hereditary misery: The dysfunctional family and multigenerational transmission in Jonathan Franzens "The Corrections" and Cynthia Shearers "The Wonder Book of the Air"

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The paper explores the resurgence of the family novel in American literature amidst the decline of traditional family structures. It examines how authors like Jonathan Franzen and Cynthia Shearer depict the complexities of family dynamics, particularly the cycles of dysfunction and the burdens passed through generations. Rather than simply nostalgic reflections, these portrayals critically analyze the impact of familial failures, revealing a struggle against the patterns of revictimization that persist across time.