What it Means to be Grotesque

  Originally planned to be titled “The Book of the Grotesque”, Winesburg Ohio  is based upon the ideal of “grotesqueness”. In Winesburg, Ohio, Sherwood Anderson defines a "grotesque" as who struggles with one of life's many truths, pursuing it relentlessly . As mentioned in the book of the grotesque, these truths range from sex, innocence, age, and homosexuality to  passion, virginity, profligacy, and abandon. Their fixation on these truths results in a life of falsehood and isolation from society as they face this inward struggle. The grotesques, are lonely, unhappy, and unfulfilled, and the majority of the characters in the book take on these characteristics, giving each a unique tale of their “grotesqueness”.
 
The concept of the "grotesque" is first introduced in “The Book of the Grotesque” at the beginning of the novel, providing insight into the characters mentioned later on in the work. In this opening story, an old writer witnesses a procession of distorted figures in his dream, each of which snatch a truth by which to live their life by, a truth that makes them grotesque. The chapter almost provides a summary of the characters to come, as it is centered on the idea of the "grotesqueness" which is central to the identity of characters seen later on. The old writer, is haunted by these "grotesques", but at the same time understands the condition that makes them grotesque-- the embracing of life's truths ("the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood.” ). It is this grotesqueness that leads to their isolation. 
 

            This idea of grotesqueness caused by the truths is the common thread throughout the book. While it does lack a true plot in the traditional sense, it instead is unified through the idea of the grotesque and the exposure of George Willard, who functions as the main character, to these grotesques throughout the story. With all the characters mentioned in the story, each grotesque has a moment in which they come to a realization of their self and condition, usually through conversation, action, or emotions of others. George Willard, whom these characters relay their stories to, also sparks  this realization for many characters in the book.  While they lead boring lives in the small town of Winesburg on the outside, on the inside there is a spark and longing within them caused by their truth. Every character encountered in the novel has some struggle, some truth that is affecting their life, whether it be a need for knowledge, connection, understanding, or anything else. George carries on throughout the novel taking in the truths of various characters, from Wing Biddlebaum, to Kate Swift, to Elizabeth Willard, and Dr. Reefy, and using him to learn about the human condition. While their grotesque condition causes them pain and suffering, it also holds a unique truth that makes them beautiful beings. The truths they possess ignite a spark inside that has a need to be fulfilled and understood. This spark on the inside is what makes them grotesque, and their grotesqueness makes them human.