Race and trauma as urban narrative in Henry Dumas's “Harlem” and “Riot or Revolt,” John Edgar Wideman's “Philadelphia Fire,” and Anna Deavere Smith's “Twilight Los Angeles, 1992”

Casarae L Gibson, Purdue University

Abstract

The intent of this thesis is to examine the social, economic, and traumatic themes presented in African American contemporary fiction. These themes often go unnoticed because the reader's attention can easily be focused on the racial themes presented in the works rather than other important themes that are also prevalent in African American literature. This thesis includes three prominent African American literary texts: Henry Dumas's short stories “Harlem” and “Riot or Revolt,” John Edgar Wideman's novel Philadelphia Fire, and Anna Deavere Smith’s Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. The significance of these works: “Harlem” and “Riot or Revolt,” Philadelphia Fire, and Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 incorporate horrific historical moments in African American history. “Harlem” and “Riot or Revolt” are short stories loosely based upon the 1964 Harlem-Bedford Stuyvesant riot/uprising that ignited after a black teen was shot dead by a white policeman. Philadelphia Fire is based upon the 1985 Philadelphia bombing that killed eleven people in a predominately African American neighborhood. Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 is a play dedicated to the 1992 L.A. riot/uprising that took place after Rodney King, a black man was beaten repeatedly by white police officers. This thesis offers a close reading using African American contemporary literature derived from these real-life events to show how each of these systematic problems in these cities occur over time toward the mid through late-twentieth century. The systematic problems: classism, police brutality, unemployment, post-traumatic stress, violence, interracial and interethnic tensions and poverty are issues that have and continued to affect the characters in these works. As a result these issues are discussed in this thesis to show the ways in which these issues are also a vital part of discussion in African American literature.

Degree

M.A.

Advisors

Patton, Purdue University.

Subject Area

African American Studies|Modern literature|American literature

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