The Uncoupling of Humanity Aboard the Pullman Car Hiawatha

Abstract

Abstract Thornton Wilder’s Pullman Car Hiawatha showcases Americans’ diminishing interest in human connections. His characters dwell in self-interest, enabled by the privacy and emotional boost of luxury and an inability to appreciate the world around them. Wilder employs modernist techniques that paradoxically clash with the wholesome Midwestern environment and characters. He captures the nuances of American life and its growing estrangement, a disillusionment with humanity that could not be relied on for help in response to a national economic crisis—the Great Depression. The implied luxury of the Pullman car itself provides a psychological solace for its passengers that seems a sufficient substitute for human connections. Wilder portrays American society’s growing interest in modern convenience and comfort to relieve emotional distress, often at the expense of human connection. Identifying technology as a modern luxury, Wilder’s observations on Americans’ inclination toward self-isolation remain relevant.