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)

Discusses the life and work of Stephen Schwandt, a mystery writer who incorporates elements of the mystery genre into his nonmystery novels. Suggests that the major strength of his novels is the characters. (RS)

Includes three articles: Harry Potter's Family Tree; What Could Be Wrong with Harry Potter?; Why Do Children Love Harry? that discuss the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. Highlights include censorship issues; their place in children's literature; relationships to other authors; the appeal to adult readers; characterization; criticism of the…

Discusses the PsycINFO database as a source for articles on character analysis and psychological or psychoanalytical literary criticism. Serials included in the database that address psychoanalytical literary criticism are listed, and the types of articles and recurring themes found in the database are described. (six references) (CLB)

Present's Harriette Arnow's "The Dollmaker" as an excellent vehicle for teaching the fundamentals of literary interpretation, especially to non-English majors. Describes how the novel illustrates the interconnection of plot, setting, characterization, symbol, and theme. (MM)

In the process of perfecting oral performances of selected scenes from Eudora Welty's "The Optimist's Daughter," it is important to study point of view and character as they pertain to the play. Four aspects should be considered to understand the point of view: (1) the character's story, (2) the position from which the narrator speaks,…

Describes how a teacher used the novella as a writing project to help students appreciate literature during their junior year. Explains how the teacher introduces the idea of the writing project and how he instructs them in the task. (TB)

Examines the movie "White Man's Burden" and, by its reversing of social ideologies and stereotypes, the questions arising from it about race relations in America. The author addresses the movie's shortcomings in dealing with race relations in part because it leaves intact ideologies and moralities based on class without defining…

Discusses the teachable qualities of Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice." Examines the vigorous diction, plausible characterization, and comic vision that make the novel so effective in stimulating students' thought. (SR)

Examines, via the multicultural feminist perspective, 16 young adult novels about non-white, non-American, or nonheterosexual characteristics concerning themes of oppression and resistance. Findings point to a greater variety of such themes than might have been found if only a liberal feminist lens had been used. (GR)

This paper reports on a project to construct a computerized database of the treatment of ethnic groups and foreign nations in American motion pictures. The project is being conducted in response to a need for a scholarly examination of how film depicts these groups and nations. Since these media presentations are important influences on public…

Reviews treatment of African Americans and academic issues as depicted in children's literature from the 1900s through the 1950s. Discusses the portrayal of students, parents, teachers, and family members and their impact on academic achievement. (MAK)

Suggests the importance of George Orwell's "1984" for today's students and recommends specific analytic and descriptive writing activities to develop critical reading skills. (MM)

Discusses the genre of teen paperback series. Topics addressed include the necessity for different evaluation criteria than those applied to monographs regarding setting, characters, and continuity; value judgments regarding quality and enjoyment; collection development; and improved circulation. (LRW)

The portrayal of the American Indian in young adult fiction was studied through the examination of 23 works of realistic or historical fiction published from 1960 to 1985. Books selected from the card catalogue at the Center for Children's Books at the University of Chicago were primarily about Indians or Indian life, and were appropriate for…