| Title |
StevensAmanda_MENG_2023 |
| Alternative Title |
The "New" in "Neo"-Enslaved Narratives: Reframing Social Justice Themes as Slavery's Material Legacies |
| Creator |
Stevens, Amanda |
| Collection Name |
Master of English |
| Description |
The following Master of English argues that the themes of social inequality in Black American literature can be seen; as slavery's material legacies, and thus deserve to be included in the neo-enslaved narrative; genre. |
| Abstract |
It is problematic for readers to presuppose that Black authors will or should emphasize; stories of antebellum-era slavery in their works; it is reductive to their craft and life experiences.; Therefore I argue that the themes of social inequality in Black American literature can be seen; as slavery's material legacies, and thus deserve to be included in the neo-enslaved narrative; genre. Black authors have more to say concerning slavery than recreating the terrible conditions; enslaved people experienced.; Additionally, when considering the inclusion of novels highlighting slavery's material; legacies, I posit that neo-enslaved narratives were written earlier than the commonly agreed; upon time of the 1960s and the publication of Margaret Walker's novel Jubilee. Stories of; counternarratives and resistance against the hegemonic white narrative have existed for; decades. Tim A. Ryan, associate professor of twentieth-century American literature, asks, "Are; the writings of African Americans since the 1960s inherently more significant than those of; [before the 1960s]?" (9). As early as the Harlem Renaissance, novels addressed social issues; caused by slavery's material legacies. While traditional historiographic portrayals of slavery and; their modern and contemporary offspring are valuable to American literature, expanding the; neo-enslaved narrative can reposition the genre in a way that foregrounds the issues of; deep-seated injustice and racism in contemporary American culture. |
| Subject |
African Americans in literature; Equality; Slavery |
| Keywords |
race; Black literature; social inequality; neo-enslaved |
| Digital Publisher |
Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, United States of America |
| Date |
2023 |
| Medium |
Theses |
| Type |
Text |
| Access Extent |
1.6 MB; 36 page pdf |
| Language |
eng |
| Rights |
The author has granted Weber State University Archives a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce their theses, in whole or in part, in electronic or paper form and to make it available to the general public at no charge. The author retains all other rights. |
| Source |
University Archives Electronic Records: Master of English. Stewart Library, Weber State University |
| Format |
application/pdf |
| ARK |
ark:/87278/s6m26qbk |
| Setname |
wsu_smt |
| ID |
114168 |
| Reference URL |
https://digital.weber.edu/ark:/87278/s6m26qbk |
