American literature--20th century--History and criticism.

In contrast to the widely held notion that an original work is typically superior in quality to its derivatives, Porgy and Bess, the opera, and Porgy, the play, present clearer conflicts between community and individualism than Porgy, the novel. Through narrative description, occasional dialogue, and some brief verse, Porgy, the novel, portrays the struggle between animalism and community. Porgy, the play, offers essentially the same story, but the visible actors and audible dialogue, more vividly creates community. Because these actors exchange their thoughts and feelings verbally, in much the same way as neighbors do, the play creates a more tangible sense of community interchange. The story's operatic treatment, in Porgy and Bess, adds a choral feature to the play's spoken exchanges. As the chorus acts as a communal voice, the opera present the most potent communal message.