Masculinity and the paradox of violence in American fiction, 1950-1975 / Maggie McKinley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McKinley, Maggie, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

American fiction--20th century--History and criticism.

American fiction.

Masculinity in literature.

Violence in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (217 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York : Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"Masculinity and the Paradox of Violence in American Fiction, 1950-1975 explores the intersections of violence, masculinity, and racial and ethnic tension in America as it is depicted in the fiction of Richard Wright, Norman Mailer, Saul Bellow, James Baldwin, and Philip Roth. Maggie McKinley reconsiders the longstanding association between masculinity and violence, locating a problematic paradox within works by these writers: as each author figures violence as central to the establishment of a liberated masculine identity, the use of this violence often reaffirms many constricting and emasculating cultural myths and power structures that the authors and their protagonists are seeking to overturn."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

"An examination of the relationship between violence and masculinity in works by Richard Wright, Norman Mailer, Saul Bellow, James Baldwin, and Philip Roth, highlighting the inherent paradox whereby masculinity in this fiction is both asserted and undermined by acts of aggression"--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note:

IntroductionI. Multiple Masculinities and the Momentum of Violence in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man

II. Existentialism, Violence, and Racial Identity: The Shape of Masculinity in Richard Wright's The Outsider and The Long Dream

III. Violent Liberation and Racialized Masculinities: Norman Mailer's "The White Negro" and An American Dream

IV. From Herzog to Sammler: Saul Bellow's Meditations on Masculinity, Modernity, and Violence

V. Desire, Violence, and Masculine Anxiety in Baldwin's Giovanni's Room and Another Country

VI. "A grueling and gratifying ethical life": Manhood, Morality, and Violence in Philip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint and My Life as a Man

Conclusion

Bibliography

Notes

Index.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781628924916

1628924918

9781501326479

1501326473

9781501304576

1501304577

9781628924909

162892490X

OCLC:

908040509