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June 28, 2026Journal of American StudiesOpen Access

No Country for Old Men: Photographing Melancholia in Robert Frank’s The Americans

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Authors

EKEric M. Kligerman

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Overview

Analyzes Frank's photographs to reveal themes of isolation and abandonment in California's culture industry, suggesting critical insights into modernity.

Key Points

  • The aim is to explore how Robert Frank’s photographs critique Hollywood's portrayal of California through a philosophical lens.
  • Analyzed Robert Frank’s photographs from The Americans collection.
  • Applied historical-materialist perspective from Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin.
  • Examined the themes of abandonment and melancholic loss in relation to the culture industry.
  • Frank’s photographs depict scenes of isolation and abandonment, challenging grand narratives of progress.
  • The analysis indicates a fabricated community within California’s landscape, aided by the culture industry.
  • Frank’s methodology aligns with Adorno and Benjamin’s philosophical critiques of modernity.

Cite This Study

Eric M. Kligerman (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a40bab961bb0a67205c66f8https://doi.org/10.1017/s002187582610190x
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