The general character and significance of a quest for the real gives "Black Boy" its special form. The autobiography displays the development of Wright's soul and the nature of his own specifically artistic quest. The opening scene metaphorically prefigures the shape and movement of Wright's formative experiences as a whole. (LHW)

Discusses the depiction of women characters in the plays of Alice Childress. Analyzes "Wine in the Wilderness" to demonstrate Childress' skill at characterization and calls for further scholarship on this neglected playwright. (KH)

Offers a new perspective on the novel, "No Longer at Ease," and comments on its sub-themes: the clash of two civilizations, the antipathy between youth and old age, human fallibility, social and moral decadence. In contrast with his earlier novel, Achebe writes topical satire for educated Africans. (LHW)

Discusses the literary and philosophical writings of Alain Locke, focusing on his views of the relations between race, ethnicity, and art. Analyzes the tension between Locke's support for Black writers and his belief that they must strive to "universalize" their work for a non-Black audience. (KH)

In "Go Down, Moses," William Faulkner shows a sensitive understanding of the character and sensibilities of Black people. Faulkner's characterizations and illustrations of relationships between Blacks and Whites imply the hope that understanding between the races can be realized through man's conscious will to return to natural…

Examines themes and images in Black and American Indian folklore and written literature. Suggests that in the literature of both cultures, there are common elements that reflect an affinity between the two groups, born out of similar cultural patterns and the common experience of being oppressed by a dominant race. (Author/MJL)