”...who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality”.
This statement by the Swedish Academy seems an appropriate description of Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison. Her novel Jazz, which was first published in 1992, is set in the Harlem of the 1920s and re-creates an "essential aspect" of African-American history - the Harlem Renaissance.
[...] In this project on the subject of 'African America in the Historical Novel', I want to examine Morrison's fictional representation of the afrorementioned era in relation to nonfictional depictions provided by significant writers of this epoch who explored the implications of jazz (and the development of African-American culture) during the actual historical period in which Morrison's novel is set. Therefore, her own narrative approach to history will be compared to the views Harlem Renaissance contemporaries such as Alain Locke and F. Scott Fitzgerald articulated in their assessments of this particular epoch of (African-) American experience. Selected parts of the Survey Graphic's issue Harlem: Mecca of the New Negro edited by Alain Locke and foundation for his groundbreaking anthology The New Negro as well as Fitzgerald's notable essay Echoes of the Jazz Age2 will be taken into consideration when evaluating Morrison's historical reconstruction of how the Harlem Renaissance, or how Fitzgerald calls it, the "Jazz Age", shaped and expressed African-American identity.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Historical Reality
- 3. Morrison's Reconstruction
- 3.1. "The City"
- 3.2. All That Jazz
- 4. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This project examines Toni Morrison's novel Jazz, published in 1992, as a fictional representation of the Harlem Renaissance. The objective is to compare Morrison's depiction of this era with non-fictional accounts from significant writers of the period, specifically focusing on their portrayals of jazz and its significance in shaping African-American identity. The analysis will contrast Morrison's approach to history with perspectives offered by contemporaries like Alain Locke and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
- Toni Morrison's fictional portrayal of the Harlem Renaissance in Jazz.
- Comparison of Morrison's depiction with non-fictional accounts of the era.
- The role of jazz music as a cultural and social identifier in the Harlem Renaissance.
- The representation of African-American identity and experience during the Harlem Renaissance.
- The impact of the "white world" on the shaping of African-American identity.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Toni Morrison's novel Jazz and its setting within the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. It establishes the project's aim to analyze Morrison's fictional representation of this historical period by comparing it to non-fictional accounts from key figures of the era, such as Alain Locke and F. Scott Fitzgerald. The chapter highlights the significance of the Harlem Renaissance as an intellectual and cultural movement in the emancipation of African Americans and emphasizes Morrison's unique approach to recreating and "giving life" to this historical past through her novel. The focus is set on examining how Morrison's narrative approach differs from or aligns with contemporary views of the period.
2. Historical Reality: This chapter details the selection of non-fictional sources used to provide a framework for understanding the historical reality of the Harlem Renaissance. It highlights J.A. Rogers' "Jazz at Home" and Alain Locke's "Harlem" from the Survey Graphic's Harlem issue, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's retrospective essay "Echoes of the Jazz Age." The chapter underscores the varying perspectives presented by these authors, ranging from the celebratory accounts of Rogers and Locke to the more apprehensive view of Fitzgerald. These perspectives are established as the foundation for analyzing and interpreting Morrison's fictional portrayal of the same historical context in the subsequent chapters, providing a contrasting set of opinions for comparison.
3. Morrison's Reconstruction: This chapter delves into a detailed analysis of how Morrison reconstructs the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance in Jazz. It uses specific examples from the novel, focusing on the portrayal of "the City" (Harlem) and the pervasive metaphor of jazz music. The chapter explores how Morrison's characters, primarily Violet, Joe, and Dorcas, embody and express the complexities of African-American identity within this historical context. The discussion likely involves examining the interconnectedness of the characters' stories, their experiences within the setting of Harlem, and the use of jazz as a symbol to represent their collective experience and the broader social and cultural atmosphere of the era. This section sets the stage for a more in-depth examination of how Morrison creates a historical narrative.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Toni Morrison, Jazz, Harlem Renaissance, African-American identity, historical fiction, non-fictional accounts, jazz music, Alain Locke, F. Scott Fitzgerald, historical representation, cultural identity.
Toni Morrison's *Jazz*: A Comprehensive Language Preview - FAQ
What is this document?
This document provides a comprehensive language preview of an academic project analyzing Toni Morrison's novel Jazz. It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The preview is intended for academic use, focusing on the themes of the Harlem Renaissance, African-American identity, and the role of historical fiction.
What is the main focus of the project?
The project examines Toni Morrison's Jazz as a fictional representation of the Harlem Renaissance. It compares Morrison's portrayal with non-fictional accounts from writers of the period, such as Alain Locke and F. Scott Fitzgerald, focusing on their depictions of jazz and its significance in shaping African-American identity.
What are the key themes explored?
Key themes include Toni Morrison's fictional portrayal of the Harlem Renaissance in Jazz; a comparison of Morrison's depiction with non-fictional accounts; the role of jazz music as a cultural and social identifier; the representation of African-American identity and experience during the Harlem Renaissance; and the impact of the "white world" on the shaping of African-American identity.
What are the main chapters covered?
The preview summarizes four chapters: An introduction setting the context and objectives; a chapter detailing the historical reality of the Harlem Renaissance based on non-fictional sources; a chapter analyzing Morrison's reconstruction of this historical context in Jazz; and a conclusion (not detailed in the preview).
Which non-fictional sources are used for comparison?
The project uses non-fictional accounts from J.A. Rogers ("Jazz at Home"), Alain Locke ("Harlem" from the Survey Graphic's Harlem issue), and F. Scott Fitzgerald ("Echoes of the Jazz Age") to compare with Morrison's fictional representation.
How does the project analyze Morrison's *Jazz*?
The analysis focuses on specific examples from the novel, particularly the portrayal of "the City" (Harlem) and the use of jazz music as a pervasive metaphor. It examines how Morrison's characters embody the complexities of African-American identity within the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance.
What are the keywords associated with this project?
Keywords include Toni Morrison, Jazz, Harlem Renaissance, African-American identity, historical fiction, non-fictional accounts, jazz music, Alain Locke, F. Scott Fitzgerald, historical representation, and cultural identity.
For whom is this document intended?
This document is intended for academic use, providing a structured and professional overview of a project analyzing themes in Toni Morrison's Jazz.
- Quote paper
- Florian König (Author), 2009, Toni Morrison's Jazz: Historical Fiction in Relation to Nonfictional Accounts of the Harlem Renaissance, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/137979