To understand “American Gods”, it is essential to understand the context in which it was written and how its ideas were developed.
Historical Context
The late nineties and early noughts, the period in which the novel was written and set, was truly a fin de siecle, and people strongly believed that an age was coming to an end and another beginning.
The New Millenium and its Zeitgeist
The period, known as the New Millennium, was marked by rapid technological advancements, particularly the rise of the internet, interconnectivity, and the digitization of various aspects of daily life. This profoundly impacted communication, information access, and the global flow of ideas.
The world became more interconnected and a global village, with economic, cultural, and social influences transcending national borders. Issues such as climate change, economic interdependence, and the international spread of information became central concerns.
At this time, there was a surge in investment and speculation in internet-related companies, particularly those involved in e-commerce, technology, and online services. Investors were attracted to the potential of these companies, many of which had little or no profits but saw their stock prices soar. (This excessive optimism is the energy that would power the New Gods in the novel). Excessive investor confidence meant that investors were willing to pay high prices for shares of internet companies based on expectations of future profits. The market became characterized by speculation rather than sound financial fundamentals. Gaiman captured this spirit of instability and change perfectly in the world of “American Gods”.
Gods in Different Periods and Places
The deities and legends in “American Gods” are divinities worshipped or revered at one time in a particular place. Mr Wednesday, Mr. World, and Shadow are incarnations of Odin, Loki, and Baldur from Norse mythology, and Gaiman imagines these came over from Iceland with Viking explorers in the 11th century. Mr. Nancy is Anansi, the Akan spider-god who was a trickster but gave men wisdom, and this god was brought with the slaves to America during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
At several points, the story is interrupted to accommodate a fragment of history, anthropology, or narrative that sheds light on the migrations of these cultural figures across the world. Gaiman takes artistic liberties, though, as Mr. Ibis in the story hints that Egyptian traders of the time of the pyramids brought Anubis, Thoth, and Horus of the Egyptian pantheon to America. However, no record in archaeology or history confirms that Egypt had contact with the American continent at the time.
Author Background
Neil Gaiman is an author of fantasy and speculative fiction born in England in 1960. He has written various novels, including “Neverwhere“, “Anansi Boys“, and “Ocean at the End of The Lane“. He has also published fiction for children, such as “Coraline“, “The Graveyard Book“, “Stardust“, and the critically acclaimed comic book The Sandman. Gaiman received various awards for his writing, receiving the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus awards for “American Gods” alone.
“I moved to America in 1992. Something started in the back of my head. There were unrelated ideas that I knew were important and yet seemed unconnected: two men meeting on a plane; a car on the ice of a frozen lake; the significance of coin tricks, and more than anything, America: this place I now found myself living in that I knew I didn’t understand it. I was an immigrant, although a reluctant one, and I was living in a huge strange country that resembled the America I’d encountered in books and films so much less than I had expected. The place was filled with oddness and, it seemed to me, with the kind of hubris that gets authors into trouble, that I thought I ought to point out to Americans how very odd it actually was.”
—Neil Gaiman
While Gaiman had a smattering of impressions about America that suggested the materials for a story, it was on a 1998 trip to Iceland that the central idea for “American Gods” struck him. He wondered if the Vikings who came to America brought over their gods. Excited at the idea, he wrote his agent and editor about the story concept and immediately began to work on the novel.
Gaiman intended to write a rambling big book that would capture the American soul, telling what immigrants brought over and what they found. He kept a weblog recording the progress of his work while writing the novel.
Cultural Context
On the cultural front, there was increased awareness and conversations around cultural diversity, identity politics, and inclusivity. Discussions about race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation became more mainstream.
Immigration to America and the American Dream
Expressed crudely, the American Dream is the idea that America is the land of opportunity for all, where class, religion, and other social barriers do not exist and will not hinder the ambitious and diligent from attaining success.
In old countries, people gained access to certain privileges and opportunities based on long-standing social orders or by their castes or faiths. As advertised in America, these conditions do not guarantee nor restrict one’s attainment of position, power, or prosperity.
The outcome of this idea is that America will become a melting pot of people fleeing different difficulties from different lands, with the idea that they will lose their stigma and baggage on American shores. People came to America to forget. People came to America to be assimilated.
It is observed that 2nd generation immigrants lose basic aspects of their culture, such as customs and language. Also, when immigrants change their foreign name to a more common-sounding American name, they are more likely to get jobs or receive significant promotions. Perhaps this process of assimilation is why in “American Gods”, Odin (Woden) becomes Wednesday (Woden’s day), Anansi becomes Mr. Nancy, and Wisakedjak, a Native American legendary figure, becomes Whiskey Jack.
It appears that the toll for better opportunities in America is trading in the valuables of the old culture. The old generation revered their culture and their gods. The new generation tried to make a clean break with the past. As such, all artifacts of the old culture suffer a loss of status in America.
Literary Context
Terry Pratchett explores a similar theme as this novel in his book, “Small Gods“. While both “Small Gods” and “American Gods” tackle themes of belief and the nature of gods, they do so in markedly different ways. Pratchett’s “Small Gods” uses satire and humor to critique organized religion and highlight the power of individual faith. In contrast, Gaiman’s “American Gods” employs a darker, more introspective approach to explore the survival of myth and tradition in a modern, secular world.
Pratchett critiques organized religion and its ways of controlling and oppressing, while Gaiman’s critique is more focused on the cultural and existential implications of belief. Pratchett uses his fictional world to draw parallels with real-world religious and political dynamics, while Gaiman’s work comments on the immigrant experience, cultural assimilation, and the evolution of American identity.
Post-Modernism
“American Gods” can be considered a postmodern novel, as it bears many of the defining features of postmodern literature. Post-modernism as a period in literary development began at the end of WWII and continues to this day. It is marked by intertextuality, parody, use of dark humor, fragmentary structure, and a blending of genres, and it often has the author self-referencing in the work.
Gaiman references old myths, legends, stories, literary works, and pop culture in a fresh context in this novel. This borrowing from different sources to create a rich new narrative is intertextuality. The story is broken into sections with legends, historical accounts, and narrative vignettes, adding depth and dimension to the main story. By bringing in the idea of a war between different sets of gods in modern-day America, Gaiman sets up a realistic setting and undermines the story’s credulity by adding magical and fantastic elements. Also, by interrogating cultural, personal, and national identities and defying genre classification—horror, road trip, fantasy, detective mystery—”American Gods” presents itself as a veritable work of postmodern literature.
Critical Reception
Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” was published in 2001 and, upon its release, was well-received by critics and gained widespread acclaim from readers. It won several prestigious awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker Awards.
The novel’s unique blend of fantasy, mythology, and contemporary issues has sparked extensive critical analysis and discussion, marking it as a significant work of modern literature.
Upon its release, the novel, critics praised the book for its imaginative plot, rich character development, and profound exploration of belief and identity. The New York Times lauded it as “a surreal epic,” and many reviews highlighted Gaiman’s ability to weave disparate mythologies into a cohesive and compelling narrative.
The book’s commercial success was equally impressive. It quickly became a bestseller. Its blend of genres appealed to fantasy, literary fiction, and mystery fans and ensured its broad appeal.
Over the years, the novel has continued to be a subject of extensive critical analysis. Scholars and critics have explored various aspects of the novel, from its commentary on American culture and identity to its innovative use of mythological elements. The book has been studied in the context of postmodern literature, with its non-linear narrative and blending of genres seen as reflective of postmodernist techniques.
Modern Relevance
Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods” is a seminal work that has maintained relevance since its publication in 2001. The novel’s exploration of belief, identity, and cultural transformation continues to resonate deeply in the context of contemporary issues. The book’s themes are as pertinent today as they were at the turn of the millennium, reflecting ongoing societal shifts and the evolving nature of faith and tradition.
At its core, “American Gods” examines the conflict between the old gods, who represent ancient traditions and mythologies, and the new gods, who embody modern societal obsessions such as technology, media, and consumerism. This dichotomy mirrors contemporary struggles with cultural preservation versus rapid technological advancement.
The novel continues to be significant as it addresses the universal quest for meaning in an ever-changing world. The novel’s characters, particularly Shadow Moon, navigate personal and existential crises that reflect broader societal anxieties. As people grapple with identity, purpose, and belonging in a fragmented world, the book’s themes provide a lens through which to understand these struggles.
The novel’s emphasis on immigration and cultural melting pots is particularly relevant in today’s sociopolitical climate. Gaiman’s depiction of America as a landscape where diverse beliefs and traditions converge speaks to the ongoing debates around immigration, assimilation, and multiculturalism.
The television adaptation of “American Gods“, which premiered in 2017, brought Gaiman’s themes to a broader audience, reinforcing the novel’s relevance. The series, developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, starred Ian McShane, Leib Schrieber, and Ricky Whittle.
