Bodies of Reform: The Rhetoric of Character in Gilded Age America (America and the Long 19th Century Book 14)

Part of the American Literatures Initiative Series From the patricians of the early republic to post-Reconstruction racial scientists, from fin de siècle progressivist social reformers to post-war sociologists, character, that curiously formable yet equally formidable “stuff,” has had a long and checkered history giving shape to the American national identity. Bodies of Reform reconceives this pivotal category of nineteenth-century literature and culture by charting the development of the concept of “character” in the fictional genres, social reform movements, and political cultures of the United States from the mid-nineteenth to the early-twentieth century. By reading novelists such as Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Pauline Hopkins, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman alongside a diverse collection of texts concerned with the mission of building character, including child-rearing guides, muscle-building magazines, libel and naturalization law, Scout handbooks, and success manuals, James B. Salazar uncovers how the cultural practices of representing character operated in tandem with the character-building strategies of social reformers. His innovative reading of this archive offers a radical revision of this defining category in U.S. literature and culture, arguing that character was the keystone of a cultural politics of embodiment, a politics that played a critical role in determining-and contesting-the social mobility, political authority, and cultural meaning of the raced and gendered body. Bodies Of Reform Reconceives This Pivotal Category Of Nineteenth-century Literature And Culture By Charting The Development Of The Concept Of Character In The Fictional Genres, Social Reform Movements, And Political Cultures Of The United States From The Mid 19th To The Early 20th Century. By Reading Novelists Such As Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Pauline Hopkins, And Charlotte Perkins Gilman Alongside A Diverse Collection Of Texts Concerned With The Mission Of Building Character, Including Child-rearing Guides, Muscle-building Magazines, Libel And Naturalization Law, Scout Handbooks, And Success Manuals, James B. Salazar Uncovers How The Cultural Practices Of Representing Character Operated In Tandem With The Character-building Strategies Of Social Reformers. He Offers A Radical Revision Of This Defining Category In U. S. Literature And Culture, Arguing That Character Was The Keystone Of A Cultural Politics Of Embodiment, A Politics That Played A Critical Role In Determining - And Contesting - The Social Mobility, Political Authority, And Cultural Meaning Of The Raced And Gendered Body. -- From Back Cover. Introduction: The Grandest Thing In The World -- Philanthropic Taste: Race And Character In Herman Melville's The Confidence-man -- Character Is Capital: Manufacturing Habit In Mark Twain's Character-factory -- Muscle Memory: Building The Body Politic Of Character In Charlotte Perkins Gilman And The National Police Gazette -- A Story Written On Her Face: Pauline Hopkins's Unmaking Of The Inherited Character Of Race -- Character's Conduct: Spaces Of Interethnic Emulation In Jane Addams's Charitable Effort. James B. Salazar. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. From the patricians of the early republic to post-Reconstruction racial scientists, from fin de siecle progressivist social reformers to post-war sociologists, character, that curiously formable yet equally formidable "stuff," has had a long and checkered history giving shape to the American national identity. Bodies of Reform reconceives this pivotal category of nineteenth-century literature and culture by charting the development of the concept of "character" in the fictional genres, social reform movements, and political cultures of the United States from the mid-nineteenth to the early-twentieth century. By reading novelists such as Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Pauline Hopkins, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman alongside a diverse collection of texts concerned with the mission of building character, including child-rearing guides, muscle-building magazines, libel and naturalization law, Scout handbooks, and success manuals, James B. Salazar uncovers how the cultural practices of representing character operated in tandem with the character-building strategies of social reformers. His innovative reading of this archive offers a radical revision of this defining category in U.S. literature and culture, arguing that character was the keystone of a cultural politics of embodiment, a politics that played a critical role in determining-and contesting-the social mobility, political authority, and cultural meaning of the raced and gendered body. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction: “The Grandest Thing in the World”......Page 12 1 Philanthropic Taste: Race and Character in Herman Melville’s The Confidence-Man......Page 47 2 Character Is Capital: Manufacturing Habit in Mark Twain’s Character Factory......Page 74 3 Muscle Memory: Building the Body Politic of Character in Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the National Police Gazette......Page 123 4 “A Story Written on Her Face”: Pauline Hopkins’s Unmaking of the Inherited Character of Race......Page 168 5 Character’s Conduct: Spaces of Interethnic Emulation in Jane Addams’s “Charitable Effort”......Page 215 Notes......Page 254 A......Page 296 B......Page 297 C......Page 298 E......Page 301 G......Page 302 H......Page 303 L......Page 304 M......Page 305 P......Page 306 R......Page 307 S......Page 308 T......Page 309 W......Page 310 Z......Page 311 About the Author......Page 312