Coming of Age in Contemporary American FictionEdinburgh University Press, 2007 M04 18 - 200 pages This book explores the ways in which a range of recent American novelists have handled the genre of the 'coming-of-age' novel, or the Bildungsroman. Novels of this genre characteristically dramatise the vicissitudes of growing up and the trials and tribulations of young adulthood, often presented through depictions of immediate family relationships and other social structures. This book considers a variety of different American cultures (in terms of race, class and gender) and a range of contemporary coming-of-age novels, so that aesthetic judgements about the fiction might be made in the context of the social history that fiction represents. A series of questions are asked:* Does the coming-of-age moment in these novels coincide with an interpretation of the 'fall' of America?* What kind of national commentary does it therefore facilitate?* Is the Bildungsroman a quintessentially American genre?* What can it usefully tell us about contemporary American culture? Although the focus is on the conte |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 59
Page 5
... identity independent of Old World habits and practices. America is the rebellious teenager, impatient with the authority of its European parents and eager to create its own character founded on a different set of values and priorities ...
... identity independent of Old World habits and practices. America is the rebellious teenager, impatient with the authority of its European parents and eager to create its own character founded on a different set of values and priorities ...
Page 6
... identity because of the ways that it appropriates and refurbishes that mythology for its own contemporary purposes. In the genre of coming-of-age, the idea of the American Adam is perpetuated and revitalised in the context of late ...
... identity because of the ways that it appropriates and refurbishes that mythology for its own contemporary purposes. In the genre of coming-of-age, the idea of the American Adam is perpetuated and revitalised in the context of late ...
Page 8
... identity began to take shape, and therefore it defines the terms and conditions of coming of age. To some extent this mythology has been abstracted and idealised independently of the historical circumstances that produced it, so that it ...
... identity began to take shape, and therefore it defines the terms and conditions of coming of age. To some extent this mythology has been abstracted and idealised independently of the historical circumstances that produced it, so that it ...
Page 13
... identity defined solely by and for the adults who, in a variety of ways, invest in it and use it to locate themselves' (Grossberg 1992: 176). The novels included in the present book, then, tell us less about the 'youth' that cultural ...
... identity defined solely by and for the adults who, in a variety of ways, invest in it and use it to locate themselves' (Grossberg 1992: 176). The novels included in the present book, then, tell us less about the 'youth' that cultural ...
Page 22
... identity. His new name, 'Bone', (until now he has been known as 'Chappie', the diminutive of his real name 'Chapman') is derived from the crossed bones of this tattoo, and helps him to feel a new sense of selfpossession and control over ...
... identity. His new name, 'Bone', (until now he has been known as 'Chappie', the diminutive of his real name 'Chapman') is derived from the crossed bones of this tattoo, and helps him to feel a new sense of selfpossession and control over ...
Contents
1 | |
15 | |
Growing up in the Sixties | 46 |
Chapter 3 Citation and Resuscitation | 72 |
Life Sentences | 98 |
Chapter 5 Lexicon of Love | 130 |
6 Memoirs and Memorials | 154 |
Conclusion | 181 |
Bibliography | 183 |
Index | 189 |
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adolescence adult aesthetic American argued attempt attention authority becomes begins believes Bone Bone’s called challenges chapter characterised characters child childhood circumstances closely coming of age coming-of-age contemporary critical crucial culture death defined depiction desire dramatises Edgar especially example experience expression father feel fiction final Fishboy further genre girls gives growing idea identity important innocence integral interest interpretation issue kind knowledge language linguistic Lisbon Lucille Lucille’s Maisie male means metafiction Mona Mona’s moral mother narrative narrator nature never novel origin parents particular partly past Phillip politics protagonist Prozac Nation Purple question reader reading recognise relationship respect response Ruth scene sense significant simply simultaneously social society speak specific story structure subjectivity suicide symbolic takes tell things understanding United voice women writing young