Ramsey Milholland

Unlike Booth Tarkington’s other novels, Ramsey Milholland was clearly written with a political motive. The author wrote it in early 1918, after the US had entered the world war. He published it as a thinly – disguised work of propaganda, one intended to marshal support for the war effort. As a result, its tone is didactic, with much flag waving and pro- war sentiment. Nevertheless, as a work of fiction, it has its merits, with well- drawn characters and highly amusing situations.

At first introduction to the reader, Ramsey Milholland is an ordinary boy of the age of Tarkington’s famous character Penrod. Academically marginal, he deeply resents his studious classmate Dora Yocum. The plot traces Ramsey into adolescence and then to show more college, where he is none-too- pleased to find the hated Dora also enrolled. As the war rages in Europe, international events begin to intrude into college life. In a truly hilarious episode, Ramsey is required to participate in a debate on the war against Dora, who takes the pacifistic position. He is unprepared and utterly out of his depth, and his desperate attempts to articulate coherent sentences against his sharp – witted opponent had me laughing out loud. The disastrous debate is by far the most entertaining part of the book. The story traces Ramsay’s subsequent growth, his rapprochement with Dora, and his eventual enlistment in the army. Dora, as a pacifist, comes to see the errors of her position and to support the war herself. And in this way, Tarkington dismisses the anti- war position.

Notwithstanding the book’s nationalistic tone and political motivation, the story has some very good moments. Far from Tarkington’s best, it is somewhat dated in perspective, and its political message is heavy- handed. However, I enjoyed the book anyway, and have marked favored passages to return to. show less