Nathanael West And Black Humor

Though Black Humor flourishes in the 1960s, Nathanael West (1903~1940) deserves the honor of the forerunner of Black Humor for his technique of juxtaposing humor and pathos as well as his humorous treatment of what is grotesque and morbid.In his novels, West discloses the barren and morbid mentality of American people and the falsehood of American Dream. Instead of satirical criticism, humorous ridicule lies between his lines. Arts, religion, sex, value system, and human alienation are all included in his list to tease. He derides the indulgence of American people in American Dream and warns them of the collapse of it as massive illusions accumulate. Of course, his sudden death doesn't allow him to develop his technique of Black Humor more profoundly. Though he understates the distress of his heroes in a calm tone, he presents sympathy rather than indifference to them. As for the hypocrisy of American Dream, he does not touch upon the rational usage of dreams. In a word, his world is not so mad as those black humorists in the 1960s.Nevertheless, his wry satire, humorous but piercing mockery, calm understatement of distress and so on are valuable inheritance to those later black humorists. It is without any doubt that he is a true pioneer and culture hero.