Black literature in the USA - Essay Example

 Black Literature in America The influx of African ethnic groups to American lands dates back in seventeenth century when slave were brought to this country. This emergence of a foreign population contributed to the development of new demographic contours in America and also laid the foundation stone for the birth of a new type of literature that beautifully depicted the black dilemma in a white American society. Smith and Jones record a chronological development of themes and techniques of African American literature from colonial period (1746-1800) to modern times in their Anthology which includes selections that define “ African American literature from various perspectives” and “examine the racial, social, political concerns of African American writers” ( 951). Use of Specific Variety of language Black writers in their writings do not use language in the same way as is used by white writers. This fact has made Gates (qtd. in Smith and Jones 951) draw the attention of the critics of black literature to this phenomenon of specific nature of discourse patterns used by black writers. Gates asserts that “in order to critique African American literature, the reader must have specific knowledge about the culture and must understand the way black authors use language” (951). Smith and Jones points to the controversy regarding acceptance of black vernacular as a specific variety of English which culminated in 1996 with the formal acceptance of this variety and the need for finding the means to revert black students to the standard form of English by the authorities in Oak land and California( 951). African American writer’s attachment to language was not confined to its dialectal form. Rather the artists like Toni Morrison had the awareness about the power of language as an effective tool for identity and the higher meanings of life. In her Nobel Prize speech she asserts that through language we can give meaning to life. To her language is the device for “grappling with meaning, providing guidance, or expressing love”(1067). We should blame ourselves when a language becomes decadent “out of carelessness, disuse, and absence of esteem…. All the users and makers” should be held “accountable for its demise” (1067). Critical Methods to evaluate Afro-American Literature In the introduction of their anthology, Smith and Jones debate about the critical methods developed by white writers to evaluate black literature. During that time the theoretical influence on African American literature came from white American writers who made comments on black literature according to their theoretical paradigm. Smith and Jones also mention the paradigm shift in the theoretical approach towards African American literature through the contributions of black intellectuals like Du Bois, Alain Locke, and J.W. Johnson who erected the theoretical edifice of black literature. The task of defining the black literature and determining the role of the author was accomplished by Du Bois. He emphasized that “ African American history and the scientific study of racism would help to eliminate the ignorance that caused racial conflicts” ( 952). The novel black experience in American society has been elaborated by Du Bois who put forth the idea of “double consciousness— the situation of being black and American” ( 952). This aspect beautifully highlights the blacks’ dilemma which is the result of the impact of racial attitudes on the mentality of the black community. They feel themselves native and alien at the same time due to this consciousness. The Preservation of African Heritage The sensibility towards this double consciousness made black writers resort to their nostalgic African heritage. In this connection writings of Alain Locke (i.e. The New Negro: An Interpretation) can be presented as the works that exhorted the writers to “record and cultivate their African heritage” in their writings (p 952). According to Locke the recurrent theme of African American literature is the “supremacy of the collective over the individual in the African American community”. Another way of asserting one’s cultural inheritance was to include the dialect used by the black community in the literature. J.W. Johnson was the staunch supporter of this assertion of one’ heritage through one’s specific dialect and was seriously criticized for this as different critics believed that by adopting only the black dialect the writer ignores the white readers who may be interested in their works. The matter is still debatable among circles of critics on African American literature. Hughes ( qtd. Smith & Jones 953) also supported Johnson’s line of argument by highlighting the “importance of being an African American Artist” and also exhorting the black writers to put forth their particular experience in American society through their works. He was conscious of the development of the racial mountain in American society that had caused so many misunderstandings in American society. He advises that “ instead of allowing the racial mountain to destroy individuality, African American writers should let their work reveal the distinct characteristics of black language and culture” (p 953). Futuristic Outlook Benjamin Brawley on the other hand promoted a futuristic outlook in African American literature. The nostalgic attachment to the past may also be complemented with the “future and present ways” for the resolution of the conflicts of the past. He wanted the writers to show African American literature as a “continuous journey from slavery to freedom” ( 953). Wright deplores the fact that black genius was neglected by white American as they could not come to terms with the notion of any black person capable of creativity. This thing made the black writers to engage in a debate with white society to plead for their rights. He also points out that there is a gap between the black people and black writers as the writers “ have been unable to take advantage of their unique minority position”(966 ). Richard Wright takes the debate to the issue of the target audience of Black literature. In his essay published in New Challenge, he declares that “ the primary audience for American writing should not be bourgeois blacks or whites but working-blacks” ( 953). Zora Hurston, on the other hand, advocates the presentation of “ middle-class black life” in African American literature. She also supports more realistic portrayal of blacks in literature by moving away from the stereotype presentation of black people. She records in this connection that according an outsider’ perception “ all non-Anglo-Saxons are uncomplicated stereotypes. Everybody knows all about them. They are lay figures mounted in the museum where all may take them in at a glance. They are made of bent wires without insides at all” (974). Addison Gayle also supports this argument by emphasizing on the “ accurate representation of African American struggle”. Amiri Baraka favoured the inclusion of same themes in the world of theatre. The similar stance is reflected in Larry Neal’s work: The Black Arts Movement (qtd. in Smith and Jones 953). Shift towards African American Women writers and gender themes So far gender was somewhat an explored avenue in black literature, but Alice Walker threw some light on the contribution of African American women writers towards the genre. The artistic suppression of African American women was the theme she reiterated and also told about the indirect means which were adopted by black women to assert their creative identity. “ Walker traces this long tradition of African American female creativity” and its transformation from a covert expression “ into more overt expression” (954). Hazel Carby traced “the development of African Women’ writing from the slave narrative tradition to Harlem Renaissance”(954). The Feminist perspective of different issues like “race, class, and gender” was encompassed by African American women writers. Role of an Artist Lorrain Hansbury comments on the role of artist in the background of different socio-political struggles. She criticizes the role of artist as an exponent of aestheticism in literature remaining insensible to the horrors and tragedies around him. She says that “we should depend heavily on the writers” of our “generation for the refinement and articulation and aspiration of man” (989). She deplores that in the past the writers were told “ to be silent, to be ignorant, to be without unsanctioned opinions, to be compliant”(959). Conclusion African American literature is the quintessence of expression of black identity and its struggle in a white society for its liberty. Starting from the themes of “freedom vs. slavery” it has culminated in the form of a sensibility of an existence that makes the outsiders realize that the subject in discussion is not a stereotypical entity rather it is a self that has an “ inside”. This genre also exemplifies how the specific forms of discourse become the identity of an ethnic group. Works Cited Jones, Sharon L, and Rochelle Smith. The Prentice Hall Anthology of African American Literature. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. Read More