JAMES BALDWIN AND TONI MORRISON

JAMES BALDWIN AND TONI MORRISON

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JAMES BALDWIN AND TONI MORRISON: COMPARATIVE CRITICAL AND THEORETICAL ESSAYS Edited by Lovalerie King and Lynn Orilla Scott

JAMES BALDWIN AND TONI MORRISON: COMPARATIVE CRITICAL AND THEORETICAL ESSAYS Copyright Lovalerie King, Lynn Orilla Scott, 2006. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2006 978-1-4039-7073-2 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. First published in 2006 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 and Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England RG21 6XS. Companies and representatives throughout the world. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan is a registered trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 978-0-230-61972-2 ISBN 978-0-230-60138-3 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9780230601383 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data James Baldwin and Toni Morrison: comparative critical and theoretical essays/ co-editors, Lovalerie King, Lynn Orilla Scott. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Baldwin, James, 1924 Criticism and interpretation. 2. Morrison, Toni. Criticism and interpretation. 3. African Americans in literature. I. King, Lovalerie. II. Scott, Lynn Orilla, 1950- PS3552.A45Z724 2006 810.9 89607309045 dc22 2006041603 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Design by Macmillan India Ltd. First edition: October 2006 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For our Children Eric and Erin King Sara, Ziba, and Margaret Scott

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CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix INTRODUCTION: BALDWIN AND MORRISON IN DIALOGUE 1 Lovalerie King BALDWIN S BOP N MORRISON S MOOD: BEBOP AND RACE IN JAMES BALDWIN S ANOTHER COUNTRY AND TONI MORRISON S JAZZ 11 Keren Omry NARRATING THE BEAT OF THE HEART, JAZZING THE TEXT OF DESIRE: A COMPARATIVE INTERFACE OF JAMES BALDWIN S ANOTHER COUNTRY AND TONI MORRISON S JAZZ 37 Anna Kérchy REVISING REVISION: METHODOLOGIES OF LOVE, DESIRE, AND RESISTANCE IN BELOVED AND IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK 63 Michelle H. Phillips REVISING THE INCEST STORY: TONI MORRISON S THE BLUEST EYE AND JAMES BALDWIN S JUST ABOVE MY HEAD 83 Lynn Orilla Scott WATCHERS WATCHING WATCHERS: POSITIONING CHARACTERS AND READERS IN BALDWIN S SONNY S BLUES AND MORRISON S RECITATIF 103 Trudier Harris

viii CONTENTS PLAYING A MEAN GUITAR: THE LEGACY OF STAGGERLEE IN BALDWIN AND MORRISON 121 D. Quentin Miller REFIGURING THE FLESH: THE WORD, THE BODY, AND THE RITUALS OF BEING IN BELOVED AND GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN 149 Carol E. Henderson RESISTANCE AGAINST RACIAL, SEXUAL, AND SOCIAL OPPRESSION IN GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN AND BELOVED 167 Babacar M Baye SECULAR WORD, SACRED FLESH: PREACHERS IN THE FICTION OF BALDWIN AND MORRISON 187 Keith Byerman UNSEEN OR UNSPEAKABLE? RACIAL EVIDENCE IN BALDWIN S AND MORRISON S NONFICTION 205 Richard Schur THE ART OF WHITENESS IN THE NONFICTION OF JAMES BALDWIN AND TONI MORRISON 223 Jonathan Mirin THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN: THE ALCHEMY OF RACE AND SEXUALITY 239 E. Frances White FEMININITY, ABJECTION, AND (BLACK) MASCULINITY IN JAMES BALDWIN S GIOVANNI S ROOM AND TONI MORRISON S BELOVED 261 Keith Mitchell NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS 287 INDEX 291

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We wish to express very special thanks to Randall Scott for taking on the monumental task of indexing this volume. We would like to ackowledge the following colleagues, associates, friends, and relatives for their professional and moral support: Trudier Harris, Iyun Osagie, Marilyn Atlas, our generous, dedicated, and talented contributors, and the editors and reviewers at Palgrave. We thank you one and all.