Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic
Since Ralph Ellison’s death, the draft materials of his second, unfinished novel have become available, in addition to his notes for Invisible Man (1952). This article encourages literary interpreters to exercise restraint in retroactively imposing narrative order and coherence upon the author’s inc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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European Association for American Studies
2015-08-01
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| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/11062 |
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| author | Cheryl Alison |
| author_facet | Cheryl Alison |
| author_sort | Cheryl Alison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since Ralph Ellison’s death, the draft materials of his second, unfinished novel have become available, in addition to his notes for Invisible Man (1952). This article encourages literary interpreters to exercise restraint in retroactively imposing narrative order and coherence upon the author’s incomplete work and working materials. Taking as an example the character Rinehart, who appears in varying forms throughout Ellison’s career, this article traces and interrogates the character’s treatment in the work of exemplary Ellison critic Adam Bradley to demonstrate that the urge to create a linear interpretive model diminishes not just the character but also Ellison’s considerable nuance. Focused character interpretation ultimately makes the larger case that coming to Ellison’s archive, as well as his published works, requires flexibility adequate to the author’s own mobile habits of thought and composition. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0dfb73e3431c4a42a6e97fed5c638c15 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2015-08-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-0dfb73e3431c4a42a6e97fed5c638c152025-01-06T09:10:12ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362015-08-0110210.4000/ejas.11062Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the CriticCheryl AlisonSince Ralph Ellison’s death, the draft materials of his second, unfinished novel have become available, in addition to his notes for Invisible Man (1952). This article encourages literary interpreters to exercise restraint in retroactively imposing narrative order and coherence upon the author’s incomplete work and working materials. Taking as an example the character Rinehart, who appears in varying forms throughout Ellison’s career, this article traces and interrogates the character’s treatment in the work of exemplary Ellison critic Adam Bradley to demonstrate that the urge to create a linear interpretive model diminishes not just the character but also Ellison’s considerable nuance. Focused character interpretation ultimately makes the larger case that coming to Ellison’s archive, as well as his published works, requires flexibility adequate to the author’s own mobile habits of thought and composition.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/11062African-American literatureinterpretationarchiveRalph EllisonInvisible ManRinehart |
| spellingShingle | Cheryl Alison Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic European Journal of American Studies African-American literature interpretation archive Ralph Ellison Invisible Man Rinehart |
| title | Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic |
| title_full | Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic |
| title_fullStr | Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic |
| title_short | Making Progress: Ellison, Rinehart, and the Critic |
| title_sort | making progress ellison rinehart and the critic |
| topic | African-American literature interpretation archive Ralph Ellison Invisible Man Rinehart |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/11062 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cherylalison makingprogressellisonrinehartandthecritic |