A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for Nathanael West's The Day of the Locust, one of West's great novels that comments on the social and cultural properties of American life. As a novel of the post-Great Depression era, The Day of the Locust depicts the failure of one popular conception of the "American Dream." Moreover, West's novels highlight and intensify aspects of American life to show what it is, as opposed to what it ought to be, or even what it could be. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the context and history of Nathanael West's classic work, helping students to thoroughly explore the reasons it has stood the literary test of time. Each Bright Notes Study Guide contains: - Introductions to the Author and the Work - Character Summaries - Plot Guides - Section and Chapter Overviews - Test Essay and Study Q&As The Bright Notes Study Guide series offers an in-depth tour of more than 275 classic works of literature, exploring characters, critical commentary, historical background, plots, and themes. This set of study guides encourages readers to dig deeper in their understanding by including essay questions and answers as well as topics for further research.