Introduction: On the politics of literature -- Palpable designs: four American short stories: An American dream: "Rip Van Winkle" ; Growing up male in America: "I want to know why" ; Women beware science: "The birthmark" ; A rose for "A rose for Emily" -- A farewell to arms" Hemingway's "resentful cryptogram" -- The great Gatsby: Fitzgerald's droit de seigneur -- The Bostonians: Henry James's eternal triangle -- An American dream: "Hula, hula," said the witches.