Discusses and appraises the work of Nobel Prize winning black author Toni Morrison. Locates thematic and stylistic antecedents in the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Ernest Hemingway. Compares and contrasts Morrison's work with Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" and discusses the critical reception of black authors. (MJP)

This article reveals the differences between the character Kunta Kinte and the historical record concerning African males in the preslavery period. Kunta's non-African behaviors include displays of blind anger and rage, prudishness, and actions unknown in his Mandinka culture. These represent the many misrepresentations and ambiguities in Alex…

Considers the correlation between the role of community in the life of Toni Morrison and her work. Morrison grew up in the close-knit, multiracial, steel mill town of Lorain, Ohio. Her work often evokes a strong sense of place coupled with a need for communal belonging. (MJP)

Describes the way that three novels by African-American women--"Browngirl, Brownstones," by Paule Marshall; "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison; and "The Third Life of Grange Copeland," by Alice Walker--captures the shared experiences of Black women. (DB)

Traces the 48-year history of the "white-life" novel in American literature and argues that these novels, written by black or other non white authors, conform to majority group tastes and expectations for reasons of attaining literary and financial success at the expense of denying the author's own heritage. Several literary works are…

Aime Cesaire is one of the foremost French-speaking blacks in twentieth century literature. The concept of negritude--referring to the culture of French-speaking blacks--is often associated with his name. This paper discusses his life and work, and explores his life from his birth in Martinique, his early years, the years spent in Paris, and his…