Winesburg Ohio is a moving and intriguing book of short stories about the lives of people in a small Ohio town. Although each story seems to have a different theme and meaning, with the only connection being time, place, and George Williard, all of the stories also seem to come together around a common overall theme. This characteristic of this work has led some critics to say that it is a novel, but without a clear central thread. Literary criticism of this work by Sherwood Anderson seems to focus on the debate over whether Winesburg, Ohio is a novel or a book of short stories (Miller, 1999). The overall theme of this fascinating book seems to be that all the trials, troubles, decisions, rewards, rumors, and stories of the people of a small town add up to more than the sum of the people and their stories. The city acquires a personal identity of its own, it is more than the sum of its parts, but its character is formed by its parts, the people who live there. The debate over whether it is a novel or a book of short stories has lasted for over seventy-five years, and no satisfactory conclusion has been reached (Miller, 1999). This work should be considered not in terms of the genre it represents, but rather the broader question: "What is the theme of this work?" What was Anderson trying to say? . If we look beyond the surface, deeper into the subtle meaning that Anderson was trying to convey, we can see that this is a work in which the characters are affected by the times in which they lived and the characters affect the times in which they lived. It’s the subtle connection between the stories that ties the book together. In order to understand the connections and theme going on in the middle of paper......Anderson's rejection of plot as the central point. Instead, it captures the essence of humanity through the struggles of its lonely characters. I think he did a nice job in Winesburg, Ohio. 1881 words Works Cited Geddes, Dan. "Winesburg, Ohio - Novel or Stories - by Dan Geddes." The Satirist - America's most critical newspaper. Dan Geddes, 1999. The web. May 28, 2010. Howe, Irving. “Winesburg Preface” American Studies at the University of Virginia. University of Virginia. Internet. May 28, 2010. “Sherwood Anderson Reviews and Reviews.” » Reading road trip in Ohio. Think Network TV, 2004. Web. May 27, 2010. Stouck, David. " "Sherwood Anderson and the postmodern novel. " " Contemporary Literature No. 3 XXVI. Fall 1985 (1985): 302-16. Print.