Taut writing smoothly guides the reader through some less than palatable scenarios and situations. Written with the slang of the time, you get some language and subject matter that may make a 21st century reader cringe, but it's largely in service to story and characterization. For me, Miss Lonelyhearts is the less accomplished piece, it hops a bit, the title character leaves you with little and caring less, although you do get a nice feel for what little was left to and for women at the time.

The Day of the Locust on the other hand would fit right along with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, or O'Hara on a syllabus. Depression era Hollywood here reminds me of modern day influencers, of reality and social media fame. Here are largely superficial and mean characters, loud, overbearing, interested in money and fame, on doing as little as possible, taking advantage of whoever and whatever they can. Then you have those who prop them up, often at a high cost to their own health and comfort. But all, it's made clear, part of a system, a great wheel, much bigger than they are, spinning them, dragging them along for the ride.