| Description |
1 online resource (ix, 209 pages) |
| Series |
OUP E-Books
|
| Contents |
Culture/Narrative/Power -- The Story of Deconstruction -- Theories of Desire -- The Narrative Turn in Minority Writing -- Rituals of Change: Ethnography on the Border -- Feminism and the Politics of Community -- Conclusion: Literature without Masterpieces -- Author Index |
| Summary |
Annotation The Pleasures of Babel acquaints the layperson and the expert alike with the creative and intellectual achievements of America's multicultural society. Arguing that the present is "a great period of writing," Jay Clayton relates novels from the seventies, eighties, and nineties to the latest developments in literary theory. He offers a lucid, cutting-edge look at the often stormy relationship between contemporary literature and criticism. Avoiding theoretical jargon, Clayton systematically sets out to make sense of the critical movements of the last two decades: deconstruction, psychoanalysis, minority writing, multiculturalism, and feminism. In the course of clarifying the accomplishments of Barthes, Kristeva, Lyotard, Said, and others, the author discusses some of America's most prominent writers of fiction: Saul Bellow, Sandra Cisneros, E.L. Doctorow, Toni Morrison, and many others. The result successfully weds a layperson's guide to recent criticism with a scholarly application of that criticism to the very works it concerns. In light of the current debates being waged over the canon and multiculturalism, The Pleasures of Babel should prove an indispensable tool for those engaged in the practice of literary criticism, as well as anyone concerned with the way in which narrative interacts with society |
| Analysis |
English literature |
|
United States |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 171-195) and indexes |
| Notes |
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL |
|
digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL |
|
Print version record |
| Subject |
American literature -- 20th century -- History and criticism -- Theory, etc
|
|
Cultural pluralism in literature.
|
|
Literature and society -- United States -- History -- 20th century
|
|
Language and culture -- United States -- History -- 20th century
|
|
Narration (Rhetoric) -- History -- 20th century
|
|
Power (Social sciences) in literature.
|
|
Minorities in literature.
|
|
Narration (Rhetoric)
|
|
LITERARY CRITICISM -- Semiotics & Theory.
|
|
Cultural pluralism in literature.
|
|
Language and culture.
|
|
Literature and society.
|
|
Minorities in literature.
|
|
Narration (Rhetoric)
|
|
Power (Social sciences) in literature.
|
|
Literatuurtheorie.
|
|
Littérature américaine -- 20e siècle -- Histoire et critique.
|
|
Langage et culture -- États-Unis -- Histoire -- 20e siècle.
|
|
Littérature et société -- États-Unis -- 20e siècle.
|
|
United States.
|
| Genre/Form |
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
|
|
History.
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| LC no. |
93016129 |
| ISBN |
1429407948 |
|
9781429407946 |
|
9780195083729 |
|
0195083725 |
|
9786610526932 |
|
6610526931 |
|
