German literature about America has consistently occupied a marginal position in both German and American studies. This study attempts an overall interpretation of such nineteenth-century literature by charting its most significant narratives. Narratives are thus shown to be embedded and generated in a bicultural or multicultural setting derived from historical givens as well as from the possibilities inherent in fabrication. The result is the illumination of an area previously neglected in literature, revealing not only intricate literary creations, but also significant insights about culture, canonicity, and the construction of national identities.