The Armenian Studies Program web page is sponsored by a grant from
The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, Fresno.
A discussion on the book Essential Saroyan, a collection of William Saroyan’s works, was held in the Politi Branch of the
The Fresno County Library organized the discussion and participants were given
free copies of the book to read before coming. The audience was prepared to offer their opinions on the book and also had many questions
concerning the author, or about specific works in the book.
Prof. Der Mugrdechian began by reading excerpts and commenting on themes
such as family, youth, truth, relationships, and equality. Three major themes were discussed: Saroyan’s identity as an ethnic writer,
his ideas on the power of love, and the importance of childhood.
William Saroyan was born in
In his short story,Seventy Thousand Assyrians, Saroyan connects with an Assyrian barber, through whose eyes he tells the story. “They, the Assyrians,
came from our part of the world, they had noses like our noses, eyes like our eyes, hearts like our hearts. They had a different language”
(Essential Saroyan, 13). Saroyan believes in humanity as being one. He explains how he does not believe in racial differences
because this leads to alienation and separation. He thought of all people as members of the human race and that they represented the
brotherhood of man. The ideas that Saroyan expressed through his writing are directly related to his experiences as a child. Having lived in an orphanage for five years, Saroyan felt abandoned and isolated. All he wanted was to be included in the human race.
Saroyan also emphasized the complexity of love and his anti-war stance in his writings. He did approve of the idea of war because
he believed there are different ways to handle issues, without physical aggression. He discusses the reality of death and how it corrupts
the innocence of children.
In The Human Comedy, Saroyan tells the story of a young Homer, who is assigned to deliver a telegram
announcing the death of a soldier. Homer is forced to witness the effects of the reality of death on the lady, Mrs. Rosa Sandoval,
to whom he delivers the telegram, announcing the death of her child in the war. This can be related to Saroyan’s own childhood, when
his father died, and when he was forced to accept the reality of death.
The third major theme that is present in Saroyan’s works
is childhood, and the related innocence. The Human Comedy includes a child named Ulysses. The story is told through the eyes and mind
of Ulysses. The world seems simple, innocent, and fresh. Saroyan describes Ulysses as living in a big, wondrous world, where Ulysses
has to quickly grow up due to the many realities he faces.
Essential Saroyan is a great collection of short stories and excerpts
by William Saroyan. Included, in whole or in part, are The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, Five Ripe Pears, The Great
Unwritten American Novel, Antranik of
Saroyan’s works are unique and touching, and for these reasons,
his works are still widely read today.
