Unveiling structures in Colson Whitehead's fiction / Paula Martín-Salván.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Martín Salván, Paula, Author.

Series:

Routledge research in American literature and culture

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Whitehead, Colson, 1969---Criticism and interpretation.

Whitehead, Colson.

American fiction--21st century--History and criticism.

American fiction.

American fiction--African American authors--History and criticism.

Physical Description:

191 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2026.

Summary:

"This book offers a comprehensive critical analysis of Colson Whitehead's fiction, positio-ning him as a key figure in both African American literature and the global "turn to genre." It explores how Whitehead employs conventions from popular genres-such as detective, zombie, and caper stories-not merely for entertainment, but as tools for ideological critique and narrative innovation. Central to the study is the concept of "narratives of unveiling," in which information is revealed retrospectively, disrupting linear storytelling and reshaping ethical perspectives. These structures allow Whitehead to expose the systemic roots of ra-cism and ideological conflict embedded in American society. The book situates his work within broader debates about canon formation, Afropessimist and postsoul aesthetics, and the politics of form. Through close readings of Whitehead's novels, it demonstrates how Whitehead challenges racial myths and signifies genre expectations, offering narratives that performatively enact cultural critique"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction : unveiling structures

Detection and the ethics of attention in The Intuitionist, John Henry Days and Apex Hides the Hurt

Unveiling the self : the aporias of autobiography in Sag Harbor

Apocalypse, again? : revelation and the temporal structure of Zone One

"Speaking the unspeakable" : the unnarrated in The Underground Railroad

"A jail within a jail" : concealment and unveiling as narrative structure in The Nickel Boys

The Harlem trilogy : revealing the system, or the Bent Man's Progress

Epilogue : unveiling as method.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version Martín Salván, Paula Unveiling structures in Colson Whitehead's fiction

ISBN:

9781041001423

1041001428

9781041001430

1041001436

OCLC:

1542850982