|
|
|||
|
||||
OverviewBefore and after writing Invisible Man, novelist and essayist Ralph Ellison fought to secure a place as a black intellectual in a white-dominated society. In this sophisticated analysis of Ellison's cultural politics, Jerry Watts examines the ways in which black artists and thinkers attempt to establish creative intellectual spaces for themselves. Using Ellison as a case study, Watts makes important observations about the role of black intellectuals in America today. Watts argues that black intellectuals have had to navigate their way through a society that both denied them the resources, status, and encouragement available to their white peers and alienated them from the rest of their ethnic group. For Ellison to pursue meaningful intellectual activities in the face of this marginalization demanded creative heroism, a new social and artistic stance that challenges cultural stereotypes. For example, Ellison first created an artistic space for himself by associating with Communist party literary circles, which recognized the value of his writing long before the rest of society was open to his work. In addition, to avoid prescriptive white intellectual norms, Ellison developed his own ideology, which Watts terms the 'blues aesthetic.' Watts's ambitious study reveals a side of Ellison rarely acknowledged, blending careful criticism of art with a wholesale engagement with society. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Jerry Gafio WattsPublisher: The University of North Carolina Press Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press Edition: New edition Dimensions: Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 23.50cm Weight: 0.680kg ISBN: 9780807821640ISBN 10: 0807821640 Pages: 170 Publication Date: 30 October 1994 Audience: Professional and scholarly , General/trade , Professional & Vocational , General Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Out of Print Availability: Awaiting stock Table of ContentsReviewsSuperb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal Watts's book belongs on the shelves of anybody who has an interest in the sociology of culture. Contemporary Sociology Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature Heroism and the Black Intellectual opens promising paths for discussion of black intellectual culture. Choice A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature Watts's book belongs on the shelves of anybody who has an interest in the sociology of culture. Contemporary Sociology Heroism and the Black Intellectual opens promising paths for discussion of black intellectual culture. Choice A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. <p>Cornel West, Princeton University Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature A complex, probing analysis of black intellectual life. . . . Provides a fresh look at a complex subject. American Literature Watts's book belongs on the shelves of anybody who has an interest in the sociology of culture. Contemporary Sociology A complex, probing analysis. Library Journal Superb. A probing, perceptive, and refreshing treatment of a great figure so grossly misunderstood and mistreated. Cornel West, Princeton University Heroism and the Black Intellectual opens promising paths for discussion of black intellectual culture. Choice Author InformationJerry Gafio Watts is associate professor of American studies at Trinity College. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |