The Cambridge Companion to the African American Novel (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

Combining scholarship covering one hundred fifty years of novel writing in the U.S., newly commissioned essays examine eighty African American novels. They include well-known works as well as writings recently recovered or acknowledged. The collection features essays on the slave narrative, coming of age, vernacular modernism, and the post-colonial novel to help readers gain a better appreciation of the African American novel's diversity and complexity. COVER......Page 1 HALF-TITLE......Page 3 TITLE......Page 5 COPYRIGHT......Page 6 CONTENTS......Page 7 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 9 CHRONOLOGY OF MAJOR WORKS AND EVENTS, 1645–2000......Page 12 Introduction......Page 21 NOTES......Page 32 PART I THE LONG JOURNEY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN NOVEL AND HISTORY......Page 35 1 Freeing the voice, creating the self: the novel and slavery......Page 37 NOTES......Page 51 2 Reconstructing the race: the novel after slavery......Page 54 NOTES......Page 68 3 The novel of the Negro Renaissance......Page 70 NOTES......Page 87 4 Caribbean migration, ex-isles, and the New World novel......Page 90 NOTES......Page 102 PART II SEARCH FOR A FORM THE NEW AMERICAN NOVEL......Page 105 5 The neo-slave narrative......Page 107 NOTES......Page 124 6 Coming of age in the African American novel......Page 126 NOTES......Page 139 7 The blues novel......Page 142 NOTES......Page 158 8 From modernism to postmodernism: black literature at the crossroads......Page 159 NOTES......Page 172 9 The African American novel and popular culture......Page 176 NOTES......Page 189 SELECTED MAJOR WRITERS OF THE POPULAR NOVEL......Page 190 PART III AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICES FROM MARGIN TO CENTER......Page 191 10 Everybody’s protest novel: the era of Richard Wright......Page 193 NOTES......Page 207 11 Finding common ground: Ralph Ellison and James Baldwin......Page 209 NOTES......Page 222 12 American Neo-HooDooism: the novels of Ishmael Reed......Page 223 NOTES......Page 239 13 Spaces for readers: the novels of Toni Morrison......Page 241 NOTES......Page 251 14 African American womanism: from Zora Neale Hurston to Alice Walker......Page 253 NOTES......Page 268 15 Vernacular modernism in the novels of John Edgar Wideman and Leon Forrest......Page 273 NOTES......Page 286 Primary works......Page 288 Secondary works......Page 298 Internet sources......Page 314 INDEX......Page 316 Features Essays On The Slave Narrative, Coming Of Age, Vernacular Modernism, And The Post-colonial Novel To Help Readers Gain A Better Appreciation Of The African American Novel's Diversity And Complexity. Introduction / Maryemma Graham -- Part I: The Long Journey: The African American Novel And History -- Freeing The Voice, Creating The Self: The Novel And Slavery / Christopher Mulvey -- Reconstructing The Race: The Novel After Slavery / M. Giulia Fabi -- The Novel Of The Negro Renaissance / George Hutchinson -- Caribbean Migration, Ex-isles, And The New World Novel / Giselle Liza Anatol -- Part Ii: Search For A Form: The New American Novel -- The Neo-slave Narrative / Ashraf H.a. Rushdy -- Coming Of Age In The African American Novel / Claudine Raynaud -- The Blues Novel / Steven C. Tracy -- From Modernism To Postmodernism: Black Literature At The Crossroads / Fritz Gysin -- The African American Novel And Popular Culture / Susanne B. Dietzel -- Part Iii: African American Voices: From Margin To Center -- Everybody's Protest Novel: The Era Of Richard Wright / Jerry W. Ward Jr. -- Finding Common Ground: Ralph Ellison And James Baldwin / Herman Beavers -- American Neo-hoodooism: The Novels Of Ishmael Reed / Pierre-damien Mvuyekure -- Spaces For Readers: The Novels Of Toni Morrison / Marilyn Mobley Mckenzie -- African American Womanism: From Zora Neale Hurston To Alice Walker / Lovalerie King -- Vernacular Modernism In The Novels Of John Edgar Wideman And Leon Forrest / Keith Byerman. Edited By Maryemma Graham. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 268-295) And Index. COVER 1 HALF-TITLE 3 TITLE 5 COPYRIGHT 6 CONTENTS 7 CONTRIBUTORS 9 CHRONOLOGY OF MAJOR WORKS AND EVENTS, 1645–2000 12 Introduction 21 NOTES 32 PART I THE LONG JOURNEY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN NOVEL AND HISTORY 35 1 Freeing the voice, creating the self: the novel and slavery 37 NOTES 51 2 Reconstructing the race: the novel after slavery 54 NOTES 68 3 The novel of the Negro Renaissance 70 NOTES 87 4 Caribbean migration, ex-isles, and the New World novel 90 NOTES 102 PART II SEARCH FOR A FORM THE NEW AMERICAN NOVEL 105 5 The neo-slave narrative 107 NOTES 124 6 Coming of age in the African American novel 126 NOTES 139 7 The blues novel 142 NOTES 158 8 From modernism to postmodernism: black literature at the crossroads 159 NOTES 172 9 The African American novel and popular culture 176 NOTES 189 SELECTED MAJOR WRITERS OF THE POPULAR NOVEL 190 PART III AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICES FROM MARGIN TO CENTER 191 10 Everybody’s protest novel: the era of Richard Wright 193 NOTES 207 11 Finding common ground: Ralph Ellison and James Baldwin 209 NOTES 222 12 American Neo-HooDooism: the novels of Ishmael Reed 223 NOTES 239 13 Spaces for readers: the novels of Toni Morrison 241 NOTES 251 14 African American womanism: from Zora Neale Hurston to Alice Walker 253 NOTES 268 15 Vernacular modernism in the novels of John Edgar Wideman and Leon Forrest 273 NOTES 286 BIBLIOGRAPHY 288 Primary works 288 Secondary works 298 Internet sources 314 INDEX 316 The Cambridge Companion to the African American Novel presents new essays covering the one hundred and fifty year history of the African American novel. Experts in the field from the US and Europe address some of the major issues in the genre: passing, the Protest novel, the Blues novel, and womanism among others. The essays are full of fresh insights for students into the symbolic, aesthetic, and political function of canonical and non-canonical fiction. Chapters examine works by Ralph Ellison, Leon Forrest, Toni Morrison, Ishmael Reed, Alice Walker, John Edgar Wideman, and many others. They reflect a range of critical methods intended to prompt new and experienced readers to consider the African American novel as a cultural and literary act of extraordinary significance. This volume, including a chronology and guide to further reading, is an important resource for students and teachers alike This Companion presents new essays covering the one hundred and fifty year history of the African American novel. Experts in the field from the US and Europe address some of the major issues in the genre: passing, the Protest novel, the Blues novel, and womanism among others. The essays are full of fresh insights for students into the symbolic, aesthetic, and political function of canonical and non-canonical fiction. Chapters examine works by Ralph Ellison, Leon Forrest, Toni Morrison, Ishmael Reed, Alice Walker, John Edgar Wideman, and many others