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American Gods | Study Guide

Neil Gaiman

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MLA

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Course Hero. "American Gods Study Guide." Course Hero. 7 June 2019. Web. 3 June 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/American-Gods/>.

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APA

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Course Hero. (2019, June 7). American Gods Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/American-Gods/

In text

(Course Hero, 2019)

Chicago

Bibliography

Course Hero. "American Gods Study Guide." June 7, 2019. Accessed June 3, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/American-Gods/.

Footnote

Course Hero, "American Gods Study Guide," June 7, 2019, accessed June 3, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/American-Gods/.

Overview

Author

Neil Gaiman

Year Published

2001

Type

Novel

Genre

Fantasy

Perspective and Narrator

American Gods is told by a third-person limited narrator who sometimes veers into omniscience. Most of the novel focuses on the perspective of Shadow Moon. In scenes where Shadow is not present, the narration changes perspectives to either that of another character or to an impartial narrator who does not know what any of the characters are thinking or feeling.

Tense

American Gods is told in the past tense.

About the Title

The title American Gods refers to all the entities worshipped in the United States, many of whom are characters in the book. Most are "old" gods who came to the United States with their immigrant believers. The few "new" gods represent the technology and entities worshipped by Americans, including cars, media, and the Internet.

Summary

This study guide for Neil Gaiman's American Gods offers summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs.

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