This volume examines the nature and significance of social justice themes for a number of well-known American writers over the last two centuries. Great starting point for students seeking an introduction to the theme and the critical discussions surrounding it.
Social Justice and American Literature examines the work of Richard Wright, Amy Lowell, Philip Roth, Kate Chopin and James Baldwin among others. Themes dealt with include: gender and feminism; gay writers; Native American; Asian American; and Hispanic/Border writers; Appalachian and socioeconomic justice.
For readers who are studying the theme for the first time, four essays survey the critical conversation regarding the theme, explore its cultural and historical contexts, and offer close and comparative readings of key texts containing the theme.
Readers seeking a deeper understanding of the theme can then move on to other essays that explore it in depth through a variety of critical approaches.
Each essay is 2,500 to 5,000 words in length, and all essays conclude with a list of "Works Cited," along with endnotes.
- Additional Works
- About the Editor