75-2984 SHREWSBURY. Carolyn M., 1943- THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEOLOGY AND IDENTITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS REVEALED IN NOVELS 1945 TO 1968. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1974 Political Science, general XGfOX UniVGrSity Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEOLOGY AND IDENTITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS REVEALED IN NOVELS 1945 TO 1968 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY CAROLYN M. SHREWSBURY Mankato, Minnesota 1974 THi: DCVI:L0LIAIENT OF I D E G M C Y AND IDENTITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS REVEALED IN NOVELS 1945 TO 1968 APPROVED BY / 7 W 0 W Æ 'W ü DISSERTATION COMMITTEE ni SSERTATIO:-: THE DEVELOPMENT OE IDEOLOr.Y AND IDENTITY IN THE BL^CK CGMMiJNITY AS REVEALED IN NOVELS 1945 TO 1968 This study examinos the e]emetils oE ideology and identity that appear in novels written by blacks during the period from 1945 to 1968. Although no single coherent ideology is identified, a number of elements that might be a part of such an ideology do appear. The reasons for the failure to develop an ideology are examined. The political and social context in which individuals perceive themselves is the basis from which ideological thought begins. From an examination of the novels, blacks seem to have very ambiguous attitudes about the American political community. Part of this ambiguity is a result of an insufficient understand­ ing of the role of discrimination in society. Part is due to uncertainty over the desirability of key American values. Politics as currently practiced in the United States is rejected. Attitudes toivard political institutions, particularly the police and the military, were as distrustful as those toward politics in general. Even exiSLxng black groups were viewed negatively. But these perceptions wer;? not consolidated into an ideological viewpoint. Three general strains of ideological tliought could be discerned in the novels. The assimilationist strain fails to account for racism in American society or any way to deal with that racism. Separatist thought was based on racism, but failed to either accept or deal with the interrelatedness of black and white in American society. The pluralists accepted and described racism and interrelatedness, but were unable to present positive ways to deal with them. Black identity was broached in each strain of ideological thought and each strain might have been able to develop had it a clear sense of black identity, just as its sense of black identity might have been more clearly developed had there been a clear statement of ideology. Thus, elements existed that could be part of an ideological statement for blacks. That such development had not yet taken place was primarily due to the real dilemmas that exist in the lives of black people in America. A new synthesis of thought that could place those dilemmas in clear perspective is not easy to develop. The novelists had merely begun that task. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to a great many people without whose advice and encouragement this dissertation would not have been possible. Particularly deserving of mention is Harry Holloway, my major advisor, and John W. Wood whose encouragement at several points inspired me to continue. I particularly wish to thank Mankato State College for providing a grant to sustain the writing of this dissertation and to the Political Science Department at Mankato State whose policy of reduced loads allowed time at the early stages of the writing. Lucille Northenscold typed the manuscript and provided expert editorial advice for which I am deeply grateful. For his encouragement, advice, and moral support at every stage of this endeavor, I wish to express my sincere thanks to Scott Shreivsbury, my husband and colleague. Of course, I must bear the responsibility for any short­ comings found in this dissertation. Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKN0WLEDQ4ENTS ................................................ iii Chapter I, INTRODUCTION......................................... 1 Ideology........................................... 4 Methodology ....................................... 5 Social Sciences and the Novel ................ 7 History ....................................... 7 Sociology and anthropology.................. 12 Psychology..................................... 17 Political science ........................... 20 Reflection Theory .............................. 24 M e t h o d s ......................................... 35 Organization....................................... 38 II. COMMUNITY ........................................... 41 The United States as One’s Country............... 43 The Political Community ....................... 43 The Social Community........................... 55 Attitudes towards whites..................... 56 Discrimination................................ 50 S u m m a r y ....................................... 66 Dominant Values ................................ 67 Equality.............................. .. 69 Achievement .................................. 77 Violence....................................... 80 Other values.................................. 83 S u m m a r y ......................................... 84 III. POLITICS, POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND GROUPS . 86 An Overview of Politics in the N o vels .......... 87 Politics as a Process ......................... 89 Political Figures ....................... 90 White liberals................................ 91 Communists..................................... 93 Politicians .................................. 94 S u m m a r y ....................................... 96 Major Institutions.............................. 9 7 XV Chapter Page The Presidency and Congress .................. 99 P olice......................................... 103 M ilitary....................................... 109 Courts and penal systems..................... 119 Service agencies.............................. 117 S u m m a r y ....................................... 118 Groups............................................ 119 The church..................................... 119 Interest groups .............................. 121 S u m m a r y ......................................... 129 IV. IDEOLOGY............................................... 126 Three Strains of Thought; An Overview......... 127 Assimilationists................................ 130 Separatists ..................................... 136 Pluralists....................................... -^39 Three Novelists .................................. 193 Richard W r i g h t ................................... 195 William Melvin Kelley ......................... 198 John A. Williams................................ 150 S u m m a r y ............................................ 153 V. ATTITUDES TOWARD SELF: BASES FOR IDENTITY. 155 Elements of Identity: Color..................... 157 Elements of Identity: Historical Experiences ..................................... 162 Elements of Identity: Patterns of Everyday L i f e .................................. 166 Speech Patterns ................................ 166 M u s i c ............................................ 171 Food .............................................. 173 S u m m a r y ............................................ 175 Solidarity......................................... 175 VI. THE FAILURE OF IDEOLOGICAL THOUGHT ............... 179 Limitations of Novels and Novelists ........... 180 Limitations Because of the Nature of American Society................................ 186 Dilemmas of the Black Condition ................ 19 5 Dilemmas of Description ....................... 197 Inequality..................................... 197 Racism versus classism....................... 201 Nature of racism.............................. 202 Change......................................... 209 S u m m a r y ....................................... 205 Strategies and Implications .................. 207 Prospects for the Future......................... 212 Chapter Page VII. CONCLUSION.......................................... 215 S u m m a r y ............................................ 215 Some Cautionary Notes ............................. 219 For Further Research............................... 222 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................. 226 vx THE DEVELOmENT OF IDEOLOGY AND IDENTITY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS REVEALED IN NOVELS 191+5 TO 1968 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The 1960’s were times of turmoil in the United States. Whether one turned on the television set, read the newspaper, magazines or books, or just talked to friends and neighbors one could not miss a sense of "unsettledness." Something was happen­ ing and everyone seemed to have his own version of what. One heard serious people speaking of revolution and of repression. There were commissions to study violence and racial turmoil, and even pornography. College students asked for courses that were "relevant" and Wallace suggested that bureaucrats be tossed into the Potomac. The decade started with a new y>. uag President per­ ceived as calling people to new ideals and ended deeper than ever in the muck of Vietnam. What brought all this on and more importantly, what does it all mean? How do we go about searching for the answers to that question— or indeed, should serious and concerned scholars 2 seek such answers when so much needs to be done now as involved persons?