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 |
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Page 2
... structures and institutions to which they find themselves heir, and thereby in some senses change society. The word 'genre' comes from the Latin 'genus', meaning family; it might be argued that each adolescent grows up to constitute his ...
... structures and institutions to which they find themselves heir, and thereby in some senses change society. The word 'genre' comes from the Latin 'genus', meaning family; it might be argued that each adolescent grows up to constitute his ...
Page 9
... structure of these novels is often strongly expressive of a desire to create a myth of origins by which their protagonists can come to understand themselves, and this knowledge, despite a self-consciousness about its status as fiction ...
... structure of these novels is often strongly expressive of a desire to create a myth of origins by which their protagonists can come to understand themselves, and this knowledge, despite a self-consciousness about its status as fiction ...
Page 10
... structure in which the contemporary moment of coming-of-age is contextualised gradually by a consciousness of historical events that are antecedent to it and deeply inform it. In this respect contemporary coming-of-age novels are novels ...
... structure in which the contemporary moment of coming-of-age is contextualised gradually by a consciousness of historical events that are antecedent to it and deeply inform it. In this respect contemporary coming-of-age novels are novels ...
Page 16
... structure of the 'born again'. Also, this structure of movement, of the journey, is paradoxically a means of getting back to the beginning. Edgar's journey is dedicated to returning to this story's point of origin, and Bone's narrative ...
... structure of the 'born again'. Also, this structure of movement, of the journey, is paradoxically a means of getting back to the beginning. Edgar's journey is dedicated to returning to this story's point of origin, and Bone's narrative ...
Page 17
... structure of authority is challenged. Russell Banks' Rule of the Bone was published in 1995, and any novel recounting the travelling adventures of a young white boy and an older black man is bound to invite comparisons with Adventures ...
... structure of authority is challenged. Russell Banks' Rule of the Bone was published in 1995, and any novel recounting the travelling adventures of a young white boy and an older black man is bound to invite comparisons with Adventures ...
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