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Percival Everett's Erasure and African American Literary Heritage

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Percival Everett's Erasure and African American Literary Heritage ‘Black Enough?’: Percival Everett’s Erasure and African American Literary Heritage Madeleine Harley Supervisor: Dr Heather Neilson A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy English Program School of Humanities and Social Sciences UNSW Canberra February 2014 Revised July 2014 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: HARLEY First name: MADELEINE Other name/s: KATE Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: MPhil School: HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Faculty: Title: ‘Black Enough?’: Percival Everett’s Erasure and African American Literary Heritage Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) When Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, this was regarded as a significant milestone in a country in which many rights had historically been denied to black people. The question of his racial heritage was raised, with some prominent African Americans arguing that he was not ‘black enough’. It was another example in a long line of black people having to justify or explain their identity. Identity, stereotyping and developing an authentic black voice have been prominent factors in black literature. This was evident in the narratives written by ex-slaves, which required the authentication by a white person of standing. The works of Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright also presented a disturbing picture of what young black men felt it necessary to resort to as result of their oppression by white society (and, indeed, some in the black community). This project examines the works of a number of notable African American writers and their place in the African American literary heritage. The central text is Percival Everett’s Erasure, which draws on this heritage and - through parody and pastiche - critiques the stereotypes that are ascribed to blacks. Everett also explores the idea of imposture through the hoax novel within the novel, My Pafology, and his protagonist Thelonius ‘Monk’ Ellison’s assumption of an alter ego, Stagg R. Leigh, as its author. Most of the texts examined in this project present a male protagonist created by a male author. However, the representation of men by female authors is also an important facet of identity to explore. These authors have largely portrayed men in a negative light, emphasising their weaknesses and faults, particularly regarding their treatment of women. This project draws upon a range of African American literary theory. As Henry Louis Gates has indicated, it has been a trait of this literature that authors have overtly engaged with what has previously been written, and thus Everett’s novel continues that tradition even whilst challenging it. Everett has exemplified the features of African American texts by signifying upon the major texts of the African American literary heritage. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). 17 July 2014 ……………………………………Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed Date 17 July 2014 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 'I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ·········~············································ Date .........11./.1p_/!.~ .................................................. AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT 'I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.' Signed ·········~·-······································ Date ........ ~!hP/1.4 .................................................... Acknowledgements To my family, for their support and encouragement To Heather Neilson, for her expert guidance, unending patience and understanding To Lannon and Eleanor, for their unfailing confidence in my ability, for picking up the pieces and keeping me going Table of Contents Introduction 1 Chapter 1 – Slave Narratives 21 Chapter 2 – Wright, Ellison, Baldwin 41 Chapter 3 – Black Women Writers 56 Chapter 4 – Percival Everett and Erasure 74 Conclusion 88 1 Introduction In January 2007, Joe Biden referred to his fellow Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as ‘the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.’ 1 This remark reignited sensitivities about the ways in which white Americans perceive those of black and mixed race heritage. In his article in TIME magazine following Biden’s comments, Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates raises the question of Obama’s ‘blackness’ and whether he is ‘black enough’: ‘Ever since Barack Obama first ascended the national stage at the 2004 Democratic convention, pundits have been tripping over themselves to point out the difference between him and the average Joe from the South Side. Obama is biracial, and has a direct connection with Africa. He is articulate, young and handsome.’2 Coates suggests that other black Americans, and certainly those who had previously run for President, could not be so described. However, he comments that, whilst Obama’s distinctive heritage contributes to his appeal, it is also a double-edged sword. ‘As much as his biracial identity has helped Obama build a sizable following in middle America, it's also opened a gap for others to question his authenticity as a black man’.3 Obama acknowledges this himself in the introduction to his autobiography, Dreams from my Father, alluding to his white mother and African father. ‘Some people have a hard time taking me at face value. When people who don’t know me well, black or white, discover my background…I see the split-second adjustments they have to make, the searching of my eyes for some telltale sign. They no longer know who I am.’4 Interestingly, many of those questioning his ‘blackness’ are those who identify themselves as black and who emphasise the point that he is not as black as themselves. Coates quotes the black writer Debra Dickerson, who has asserted that ‘“Black, in our political and social reality, means those descended 1 Tapper, J. ‘A Biden Problem: Foot In Mouth’, ABC News, 31 Jan, 2007, http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2838420&page=1#.UXx3KIKSNJM, viewed 28 April 2013 2 Coates, T. ‘Is Obama Black Enough?’, TIME, Feb 1, 2007, http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1584736,00.html#ixzz2RiM9Lx5C viewed 28 April 2013 3 Coates, T. ‘Is Obama Black Enough?’, TIME, Feb 1, 2007, http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1584736,00.html#ixzz2RiM9Lx5C viewed 28 April 2013 4 Obama, B. Dreams from my Father, Text Publishing, Melbourne, 2004 p xv 2 from West African slaves.”’5 Elsewhere Dickerson has drawn a distinction between this definition of black Americans and those descended from Africans who had willingly migrated to America: ‘Voluntary immigrants of African descent (even those descended from West Indian slaves) are just that, voluntary immigrants of African descent with markedly different outlooks on the role of race in their lives and in politics.’ Dickerson is quite vehement in her refutation of Obama’s claim to a black identity, as is evident in her comment that ‘Since he had no part in our racial history, he is free of it’. For her, the ‘authentic’ African-American is one who is descended from slaves.
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