Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself (ePub)

Robert Montgomery Bird's 'Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself' deftly satirizes early American society with a sharp literary blade. The narrative, cloaked as autobiography, showcases Bird's intricate exploration of identity and materialism during a formative period in US history. Through the protagonist's chimeric journey-literally hopping from one life into another in search of contentment-Bird reveals the multifaceted nature of the elusive American Dream. The story's picaresque structure and mordant wit position it as a distinctive piece of literary art, dissecting the idea that everything, from vice to virtue, can be commodified in a nascent capitalist culture.

Bird, a novelist and playwright active in the 19th century, was preoccupied with the evolving American identity. The extraordinary element of body transfer in 'Sheppard Lee' can be seen as a metaphoric device born from Bird's keen observation of and engagement with the shifting values of his contemporaries. This theme, reflected in the book's content, conveys a nation's collective soul-searching amidst rapid societal changes. Bird's personal experiences and his acute awareness of social dynamics thus informed the novel's creation, pioneering the genre of American satire.

Deserving of scholarly attention and modern readership, 'Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself' comes as a recommendation to enthusiasts of American literature and history. Its perceptive reflections on human aspiration and critique of commodification remain pertinent today. Readers will not only find entertainment in Lee's episodic misadventures but also gain an enriched understanding of the complexities of early American society and its ongoing conversation with the philosophies of personal success and moral values in an increasingly transactional world.