1. ‘Narratives of a New Belonging’ - Introduction and Aim of the Study
In March 1968 Robert Kennedy reported the following about the miserable living conditions on most Native American reservations to a Senate sub-committee: “The first Americans are still the last Americans in terms of income, employment, health and education. I believe this to be a national tragedy for all Americans, for we all are in some way responsible” (qtd. in Breidlid 1998: 6).
Opening this thesis with this rhetoric pun on the first and the last on the American continent has been a deliberate decision as Kennedy’s status quo report provides for a nice introduction to this thesis’ larger subject matter. When his dialogics of the first and the last are not only restricted to U.S. American Indian communities, the overall image evoked can in fact easily be applied to other U.S. ethnic groups as well. Having long settled the desert regions north of nowadays U.S. Mexican border, contemporary Hispanic Americans, for instance, as the descendents of an early mestizo population of Mexican-Indian, European-Spanish and Anglo-American ancestry, share a collective memory which far precedes the U.S. presence in North America. Likewise African Americans can provide for a historical legacy that through the Diaspora of the Middle Passage and the system of plantation slavery easily traces itself back to the very first beginnings of American civilization. When in recent years many other immigrant and minority groups have handed in similar claims, the overall picture of American history evoked is no longer one of a WASP unitarian sense of historiography, but of transcultural diversity and plurality which clearly contradicts the proclaimed assimilatory homogeneity of the American character. Having already started to re-imagine Ethnic American historical legacies in the U.S. as of having been among the first on the American continent, it still remains to provide for the respective present-day social realities as of being among the last in terms of power structures. [...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 'Narratives of a New Belonging' - Introduction and Aim of the Study
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'Ethnic America Fights Back'
- Approaching Contemporary (Ethnic) America
- 'The Turn to Culture' - Approaching American (Ethnic) Studies
- 'From Melting Pot to Cosmopolitism' - Approaching American (Ethnic) Ideologies
- 'Vanishing Race, Invisible Men and Forgotten People' - Approaching American (Ethnic) Histories and Social Realities
- 'Ethnic America Writes Back' - Approaching Contemporary American (Ethnic) Literatures
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'Stories of the Uprooted' - The Politics of Memory and Identity in Contemporary American Ethnic Literatures
- Identity Politics One - The Return-To-Roots Narrative
- Identity Politics Continued - Rewriting the Return-To-Roots Narratives
- Identity Politics at Work - Politics of Memory and Identity in American Ethnic Writing
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'The Search for a Sense of Place' - Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima
- Living in the Borderlands - Antonio's State of Alienation at the Beginning of the Novel
- Ultima's Blessing and the Sacred Presence of the Land - Antonio's Quest for a Collective Identity and a New Sense of Place
- Tony's Development into a New World Person - Transculturation and Cultural Negotiation in Antonio's Life
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'The Search for a Usable Past' - Gloria Naylor's Mama Day
- Struggling with Diaspora - Ophelia's State of Alienation at the Beginning of the Novel
- Miranda's Curing and the Magical Presence of the Past - Ophelia's Quest for a Collective Identity and a Usable Past
- Baby Girl's Development into a New World Person - Transculturation and Cultural Negotiation in Ophelia's Life
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'The Search for a Community' - N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn
- Lacking the Right Words - Abel's State of Alienation at the Beginning of the Novel
- ‘Pan-Indian Healing and the Sustaining Power of the Community' - Abel's Quest for a Collective Identity and a Sustaining Community
- Abel's Development into a New World Person - Transculturation and Cultural Negotiation in Abel's Life
- ‘Narratives of a New Belonging and the Healing Power of the Word' - Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This thesis investigates the complex interplay of memory and identity in contemporary American ethnic literatures. It aims to analyze how authors from different ethnic backgrounds navigate the challenges of belonging in a society marked by historical injustices and cultural tensions. The study focuses on narratives that challenge dominant narratives and explore the possibilities of forging a new sense of belonging in the face of exclusion and marginalization. Key themes explored in the thesis include:- The return-to-roots narrative and its limitations in understanding complex ethnic identities.
- The politics of memory and the role of collective historical narratives in shaping individual and group identity.
- The impact of cultural negotiation and transculturation on the formation of new ethnic identities.
- The search for a sense of place and belonging in a society that often fails to recognize or value the diversity of its ethnic communities.
- The power of language and narrative in shaping individual and collective identities.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- 'Narratives of a New Belonging' - Introduction and Aim of the Study: This chapter provides a brief overview of the thesis, introducing the central themes of memory, identity, and belonging in contemporary American ethnic literatures. It also contextualizes the study within the broader discussions of ethnic identity and the challenges faced by minority groups in the United States.
- 'Ethnic America Fights Back': This section examines the historical and social contexts shaping contemporary American ethnic literatures. It explores the rise of ethnic studies, the evolution of American ethnic ideologies, and the realities of social and economic marginalization faced by many ethnic communities.
- 'Stories of the Uprooted' - The Politics of Memory and Identity in Contemporary American Ethnic Literatures: This chapter analyzes the role of memory and identity politics in contemporary American ethnic writing. It explores how authors draw upon their own cultural heritage and historical experiences to challenge dominant narratives and construct new understandings of belonging.
- 'The Search for a Sense of Place' - Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima: This chapter examines the themes of belonging and identity in Rudolfo Anaya's novel Bless Me, Ultima. It focuses on the protagonist's journey of self-discovery and the challenges of reconciling his Mexican-American heritage with the dominant Anglo-American culture.
- 'The Search for a Usable Past' - Gloria Naylor's Mama Day: This chapter analyzes the themes of memory, identity, and community in Gloria Naylor's novel Mama Day. It explores the protagonist's search for a usable past and the role of African-American traditions and culture in shaping her identity.
- 'The Search for a Community' - N. Scott Momaday's House Made of Dawn: This chapter examines the themes of belonging, identity, and healing in N. Scott Momaday's novel House Made of Dawn. It focuses on the protagonist's journey of self-discovery and the importance of community and cultural traditions in finding healing and belonging.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This thesis explores key concepts such as memory, identity, belonging, ethnic literature, cultural negotiation, transculturation, and the politics of memory in the context of contemporary American ethnic literatures. It examines the experiences of ethnic groups such as Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans, highlighting their struggles for recognition and inclusion in a society often marked by historical injustices and cultural tensions. The thesis ultimately argues for the importance of embracing the diversity of American culture and recognizing the contributions of all its ethnic communities in shaping a truly inclusive and equitable society.- Quote paper
- M.A. / B.A. / LAss Michael Fink (Author), 2004, Narratives of a New Belonging: The Politics of Memory and Identity in Contemporary American Ethnic Literatures, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/30929
