Young Lonigan

Young Lonigan is the first volume in the trilogy James T. Farrell wrote about Studs Lonigan. A fair number of copies of the trilogy is listed on LT, but it seems this early modern classic, first published in 1932, does not have as many readers as it deserves.

The story is fairly simple and straight forward. Told over the period of a summer holiday, it relates how young Studs Lonigan, just graduated from junior high school does not really know what to do with himself. Procrastination prevents him from getting a job, while boredom drives him to join a street gang. Aged fifteen, sixteen Studs has just started smoking, shaving, masturbating in the bathroom, looking at girls, showing off his muscles and brawny attitude, fighting in the gang. show more The book is written in the vernacular of that time, the style of these young working class boys:

Wilson’s a morphidite,” Studs said.
“What’s that?”
“ A guy that’s both a man and a woman at the same time, like fat Leon,” said Studs.

The action and the language get progressively ruder toward the end of the book. There is some anti-semitism throughout the book, and the Jewish kids are also organized in their own gangs. On page 177 the Irish gang, to which Studs belongs, beats up two Jewish boys in an alley, calling them “Christ killers” and various other offensive words are used throughout the book.

While there’s a lot of talk about girls, there’s also action. One day, the boys of the gang “visit” Iris at home, when her Mom isn’t home, and we are told that most of the guys were having a gang-shag at Iris. (p. 191). And that action leads to some useful life lessons, as illustrated by this dialogue:

”How’s it going today, Paulie?” asked Studs.
“Oh, the athlete is still running,” Paulie said.
“Still running?” said Studs.
“Yeh, he’s a good track man,” said Paulie.
“If I was you, I’d get the jane that did it to you, and paste the living hell out of her,” said Weary.
(p.200) show less

Hasn't aged well. It wasn't clear to me if the toxic masculinity was being praised, and I'm not sure this first volume motivates me to read the rest to find out. I know the ethnic slurs are of the time but even so they seemed a bit thick. Women and girls are treated horribly. Characters aren't really developed other than Lonigan.

$150.00