A study in comparative literature (1900--1930): Power in the characterizations of black and white American authors of the period

The authors whose characters will people the study are Henry James, William Faulkner, Jean Toomer, and Countee Cullen. These authors regularly appear in modern American literature courses (1900--1939). The dates permit them to be of the same socio-historical age despite ethnic diversity and despite genre differences. It is hoped that the Bales Interaction Process Analysis can be applied to James's Daisy Miller, the character of the same name, to Morgan Moreen of The Pupil, to John Marcher of The Beast in the Jungle and to Brydon Spencer of The Jolly Corner. There will be an analysis made of Faulkner's Dilsey from The Sound and the Fury, as well as his Addie from As I Lay Dying. Then the characters from the pen of two black writers will be studied, Toomer's Fern, the character of the same name, and Kabnis, the character again of the same name, and many of the short poetic characters created by Countee Cullen.;The meaning of power will be expanded to include definitions from: H. D. Lowell/A. Kaplan, Power and Society (Yale Press 1950) R. Bendix/S. Lipset, Class, Status and Power (Free Press, Collier, 1953) M. Weber, Essays in Sociology (Oxford Univ. Press, 1946) L. Coser, Sociology through Literature (Prentice Hall, 1946) Bryce-Laporte/C. S. Thomas, Alienation in Contemporary Society (Praeger, 1976).;The objective of a comparative study of literature is to look simultaneously at two works of art or two bodies of literary output and without losing sight of their individuality be able to see their similarities and their differences. It is with this understanding that the study here was undertaken. It was important (and remains important) for this observer to view literature as a sociological fact of human life, as well as the work of an inspired, creative artist. It is with this dual purpose in mind that the study goes forth. Further, it is important that teachers (and I number myself one of them) of modern American literature offer students of this generation more valid insights than those that have preceded our generation for dealing with authors whose literary materials are endlessly complicated by changes in economic-political and social life in America. We are dealing with works of art that mirror change as well as set innovative patterns for change. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...