White Writers, Race Matters

Fictions of Racial Liberalism from Stowe to Stockett

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, American
Cover of the book White Writers, Race Matters by Gregory S. Jay, Oxford University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Gregory S. Jay ISBN: 9780190687243
Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication: November 22, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Gregory S. Jay
ISBN: 9780190687243
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Publication: November 22, 2017
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

What explains the enduring popularity of white-authored protest fiction about racism in America? How have such books spoken to the racial crises of their time, and why do they remain important in our own era? White Writers, Race Matters explores these questions and the controversies they raise by tracking this tradition in American literary history. Dating back to Uncle Tom's Cabin, the genre includes widely-read and taught works such as Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird along with period best-sellers now sometimes forgotten. This history also takes us to Hollywood, which regularly adapted them into blockbusters that spread their cultural influence further as well as incited debates over their politics. These novels strive to move readers emotionally toward ethical transformation and practical action. Their literary forms, styles and plots derive from the cultural work they intend to do in educating the minds and hearts of those who, in James Baldwin's words, "think they are white"--indeed, in making the social construction of that whiteness readable and thus more susceptible to reform. Each chapter provides a case study combining biography, historical analysis, close reading, and literary theory to map the significance of this genre and its ongoing relevance. This tradition remains vital because every generation must relearn the lessons of antiracism and formulate effective cultural narratives for transmitting intellectual and affective tools useful in fighting injustice.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

What explains the enduring popularity of white-authored protest fiction about racism in America? How have such books spoken to the racial crises of their time, and why do they remain important in our own era? White Writers, Race Matters explores these questions and the controversies they raise by tracking this tradition in American literary history. Dating back to Uncle Tom's Cabin, the genre includes widely-read and taught works such as Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird along with period best-sellers now sometimes forgotten. This history also takes us to Hollywood, which regularly adapted them into blockbusters that spread their cultural influence further as well as incited debates over their politics. These novels strive to move readers emotionally toward ethical transformation and practical action. Their literary forms, styles and plots derive from the cultural work they intend to do in educating the minds and hearts of those who, in James Baldwin's words, "think they are white"--indeed, in making the social construction of that whiteness readable and thus more susceptible to reform. Each chapter provides a case study combining biography, historical analysis, close reading, and literary theory to map the significance of this genre and its ongoing relevance. This tradition remains vital because every generation must relearn the lessons of antiracism and formulate effective cultural narratives for transmitting intellectual and affective tools useful in fighting injustice.

More books from Oxford University Press

Cover of the book The Biology of Human Survival by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Becoming Good Ancestors by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book The Market Revolution by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book The Pete Seeger Reader by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Smuggler Nation: How Illicit Trade Made America by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book The Law of Possession by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Stealing Fire from Heaven by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book J. Robert Oppenheimer:A Life by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Policy and Politics in Global Primary English by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Linus Pauling by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Evidence-based Social Work Practice: Oxford Bibliographies Online Research Guide by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Colonial Counterpoint by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Hedge Fund Structure, Regulation, and Performance around the World by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Belief without Borders by Gregory S. Jay
Cover of the book Making Harvard Modern by Gregory S. Jay
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy