Welcome to Hard Times (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Founder | E. L. Doctorow |
| Products | Novel |
Welcome to Hard Times marks the debut novel of American writer E. L. Doctorow, released in 1960. The narrative is set in a small settlement called Hard Times within the Dakota Territory and centers on the consequences following the rampage of "The Bad Man from Bodie," who inflicts terror through acts of rape, murder, and arson. The remaining townspeople strive to restore their community. This post-Western work is distinguished by its thematic focus on the nature of good and evil. A film adaptation sharing the title was produced in 1967.
Plot summary
In the Dakota Territory town of Hard Times, Clay Turner, known as "The Bad Man from Bodie," arrives and perpetrates violent offenses including arson before departing. The majority of inhabitants flee, leaving Blue—the town’s informal leader—to rebuild alongside Molly Riordan, a prostitute, and Jimmy Fee, a young boy. Blue convinces Zar, a Russian pimp, to open a saloon and brothel targeting nearby miners, which stimulates growth as the town gains a general store, restaurant, sheriff, and an official designation: Hard Times.
Blue regards Molly and Jimmy as family; however, Molly, deeply traumatized and fearful of Turner’s return, urges them to leave. Blue declines and resumes his mayoral duties. To safeguard herself, Molly instructs Jimmy in self-defense by having Sheriff Jenks teach him firearm skills. Her anxiety causes her to withdraw from the community while Blue attempts to separate Jimmy from her influence.
A mining company promises to construct a road through Hard Times but fails to fulfill this before closing operations. Turner returns, prompting Blue to call for evacuation. Molly persuades Sheriff Jenks to confront Turner, leading to the deaths of both Jenks and Zar. With assistance from Swede, Blue sets a barbed wire trap outside Zar’s saloon. Blue wounds Turner; Turner retaliates by killing Swede. Blue then incapacitates Turner and brings him before Molly while Jimmy stands guard with a shotgun. Molly stabs Turner with a stiletto; as Turner reaches for her, Jimmy fires, killing both Turner and Molly. Jimmy escapes; Blue speculates that Jimmy might become another "Bad Man." Only Blue and Helga (Swede’s widow) remain in Hard Times. Despite this, Blue cannot bring himself to demolish what remains of the town, believing the salvaged wood could serve future use.
Reception
Welcome to Hard Times garnered favorable critiques from leading literary outlets. In The New York Times, reviewer Wirt Williams commended its examination of immorality, asserting that "the primary theme of the novel is that evil can only be resisted psychically," drawing parallels with Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.
Analysis
The novel’s stark depiction of the American West—highlighting brutality, decline, and social decay—classifies it as an early example of post-Western literature. Christine Bold characterized it as an "anti-Western Western" in her analysis of popular Western fiction.