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
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... Language Acquisition: Life Sentences Scott Bradfield, The History of Luminous Motion Mark Richard, Fishboy 5 Lexicon of Love Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping Josephine Humphreys, Rich in Love 6 Memoirs and Memorials Dorothy Allison ...
... Language Acquisition: Life Sentences Scott Bradfield, The History of Luminous Motion Mark Richard, Fishboy 5 Lexicon of Love Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping Josephine Humphreys, Rich in Love 6 Memoirs and Memorials Dorothy Allison ...
Page 2
... language of critical discussion of adolescence. For example, the word 'bildungsroman' was coined in Germany in 1819, and it means a novel recounting the early emotional development and moral education of its protagonist ('bildung ...
... language of critical discussion of adolescence. For example, the word 'bildungsroman' was coined in Germany in 1819, and it means a novel recounting the early emotional development and moral education of its protagonist ('bildung ...
Page 5
... language of adolescence to describe the New World's emergent autonomy as a colony as it struggled to establish its own individual social identity independent of Old World habits and practices. America is the rebellious teenager ...
... language of adolescence to describe the New World's emergent autonomy as a colony as it struggled to establish its own individual social identity independent of Old World habits and practices. America is the rebellious teenager ...
Page 14
... language, in that mythical American landscape, that virgin land, where he might recover the innocence he has already lost. In a further book, published in 2000, Pamela Steinle has an excellent chapter on 'The Question of Innocence' in ...
... language, in that mythical American landscape, that virgin land, where he might recover the innocence he has already lost. In a further book, published in 2000, Pamela Steinle has an excellent chapter on 'The Question of Innocence' in ...
Page 16
... language gives a strong sense of authenticity to his adolescent perspective, yet it does not disguise a perceptive awareness of the adult power relations of his southern society. Although Huck speaks to the reader like a boy, the ...
... language gives a strong sense of authenticity to his adolescent perspective, yet it does not disguise a perceptive awareness of the adult power relations of his southern society. Although Huck speaks to the reader like a boy, the ...
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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Common terms and phrases
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