Masculinity and the Paradox of Violence in American Fiction, 1950-75

Masculinity and the Paradox of Violence in American Fiction, 1950-75 explores the intersections of violence, masculinity, and racial and ethnic tension in America as it is depicted in the fiction of Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, Norman Mailer, Saul Bellow, James Baldwin, and Philip Roth. Maggie McKinley reconsiders the longstanding association between masculinity and violence, locating a problematic paradox within works by these writers: as each author figures violence as central to the establishment of a liberated masculine identity, the use of this violence often reaffirms many constricting and emasculating cultural myths and power structures that the authors and their protagonists are seeking to overturn.>

About the author

Maggie McKinley is an Assistant Professor of English at Harper College, USA, where she teaches courses in American Literature. Her work has been published in Roth and Celebrity (Lexington 2012), the Philip Roth volume of Critical Insights (Salem 2013), The Mailer Review, and Philip Roth Studies.

Product details

• Authors: Maggie McKinley, Maggie (Harper College McKinley, McKinley Maggie
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.10.2016
• EAN: 9781501326479
• ISBN: 978-1-5013-2647-9
• No. of pages: 216
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; USA, English, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Minority Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / American / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Men's Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, United States of America, USA, Ethnic groups and multicultural studies, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Ethnic minorities & multicultural studies, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000, Gender studies: men and boys, Gender Studies: Men, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Biracial & Multiracial Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / Novel as Form