OPPRESSIVE RELATIONSHIPS/REJATED OPPRESSIONS: Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality and the Role of Gay Identity James Baldwin's Another Country and Hubert Fichte's Versuch Über die PubertZt PATRICK JOSEPH GIGNAC A thesis submitted to the Department of German in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Queen1s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada February, 1996 copyright @ Patrick Joseph Gignac, 1996 National Library Bibliothéque nationale 1+1 ,,na, du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Senrices services bibliographiques 395 Weilingion Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Onawa ON K1A ON4 canada CaMda The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exciusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à Ia National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distrihte or seii reproduire, prêter, distriiuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT Patrick Gignac, "Oppressive Relationships/Related Oppres- sions: Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality and the Role of Gay Identity in James Baldwin's Another Country and Hubert Fichte's Versuch ûber die Pubertatu The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the rela- tionship between the formation of a gay identity and the dynamics of oppression which are articulated through the categories of ethnicity, gender and sexuality in James BaldwinlsAnother Country and Hubert Fichte's Versuch über die Pubertat. The first chapter will outline the background methodology of the study, defining ethnicity and gender as constructed and connected categories. In Chapter Two, a theoretical discussion of gay identity will ensue from the development of stereotypes, the configuration of the closet, the interpretations of patriarchal myth and the progression toward an affirmative self-defined identity. A review of the existing critical literature will also be included. Chapter Three examines Another Country, comparing the representations of ethnic, gender, and sexual oppression in the novel as they relate to the construction of gay identity. Baldwin's solution to the problem of oppression is a rnasculinisation of love which is conveyed through homosexual relationships. The same approach is applied to Versuch iiber die Pubertit, where the discussion in Chapter Four notes the advancement of sexual politics in Fichte's work towards a greater sema1 explicitness and understanding of diversity. The study concludes with an assessment of Baldwin's and Fichte's political analysis of oppression, which provides a solution to oppression in society by advocating a universal expression of love through male sexuality. Hence, Baldwin and Fichte unwittingly establish masculine privilege as the major force behind the oppression of marginalised groups in society. DEDICATION To Ken and those that possess the secret of joy. 1 would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Ulrich Scheck, for hiç encouragement with this project and his judicious editorial advice. 1 would also like to extend my thanks to the Department of Germanic Laquages and Litera- tures at Queen's University, for the opportunity to pursue research on this topic, and in particular Professor P.J. O'Neill and Professor Stephanie Pafenberg. In conclusion, my sincerest gratitude must be extended to my friends Nancy, Julia, Anja, Giorgia, Stuart and Charles without whom my fortitude would have failed. Finally, there can be no expression of thanks that could encompass my appreciation for the loving consolation of my friend, Ken. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 . INTRODUCTION .......................................... 9 II . A FRAMEWORK FOR A LITERARY ANALYSIS OF GAY IDENTITY . 17 A . A REVIEW OF THE CRITICISM OF HOMOSEXUAL LITERATURE17 B . THEORISING GAY IDENTITY ......................... 27 i) Some Theories of Gay Identity .............. 28 ii) Oppression and the Literary Discourse on Gay Identity ................................. 35 iii) The Role of Literature in Constructing an Affirmative Identity ...................... 54 III. OTHER SEXUALITIES IN BALDWIN'S ANOTHER COUNTRY: GAY IDENTITY AS A RESPONSE TO OPPRESSION ................59 A . RACIAL ETHNICITY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY ............. 67 The Ethnic Closet ..............................69 Black Stereotypes .............................. 75 Affirmations of Black Identity ................. 82 B . GENDER IN ANOTHER COUNTRY ...................... 89 i) Female Roles and Femininity ................ 90 Women's Closeted Identity ................. 91 Ferninine Stereotypes ...................... 94 Affirmation of Women ...................... 98 ii) Male Roles and Masculinity ............... 100 The Male Closet .......................... IO1 vii Masculine Stereotypes .................... 103 Affirmation of Male Identity ............. 109 C . SEXUALITY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY ................... 112 The Closet .................................... 113 Gay Stereotypes ............................... 119 Affirmation of Gay Identity ................... 124 IV . SEXUAL LIBERATION IN FICHTE'S VERSUCH ÜBER DIE PUBERTAT ........... 134 A . ETHNICITY IN VERSUCH OBER DIE PUBERTAT ......... 144 The Ethnic Closet ............................. 145 Ethnic Stereotypes ........................... 152 Cultural Affirmation .......................... 158 B . GENDER IN VERSUCH ÜBER DIE PUBERTAT ............ 164 i) Fernale Roles and Femininity ...............164 Women in the Claset ...................... 165 Stereotypes of Wornen ..................... 170 Affirmations of Women .................... 176 ii) Male Roles and Masculinity ............... 177 Closeted Male Femininity ................. 179 Masculine Stereotypes ....................184 Affirmations of Masculinity .............. 188 CI SEXUALITY IN VEXSUCH @ER DIE PUBERTAT ......... 190 The Closet .................................... 191 Gay ~tereotypes............................... 203 ... Vlll Affirmation through Ritualised Sexuality ...... 207 V . CONCLUSION .......................................... 218 WORKS CITED ............................................ 224 VITA .................................................... 240 1. INTRODUCTION The depiction of gay identity in the twentieth-century novel hast until relatively recently, generally been disguised, stereotyped or avoided in literary works or criticism. Most of the criticism and indeed many of the texts rely on popular conventions of psychological maladjustment to explain homosexual behaviour. Giovanni's Room (1954), James Baldwin's first novel dealing with homosexuality, is laden with homosexual stereotypes and ends with the predictable execution of Giovanni. Baldwin's novel Another Country (19621, however, marks the beginning of a more human portrayal of gays and their personal relationships. Another Country is one of the first English language novels published which depicts a positive gay identity and describes a fufilling gay relationship. This novel, unlike his first two, deals with interracial relationships both homosexual and heterosexual and reveals the connections between racial, gender and sexual oppression in America. Twelve years later, Hubert Fichte further explores issues of gay identity in his novel Versuch über die Puber- -tat (1974). The novel addresses alternative expressions of gay sexuality and advances the positive representation of gays in literature by celebrating diversity. Fichte exposes sado-rnasochism and cross-dressing as ritualised behaviours rather than considering thern as deviant or unusual. This attempt at a positive portrayal of these controversial topics was, in 1974, unique in gay literature accepted by traditional publishers. Furthemore, Fichte uses a cross- cultural comparison to illustrate the construction of ethnicity, gender and sexuality in different cultures and to demonstrate effects of oppression on these constructed categories, Another Country and Versuch über die Pubertat offer an assorted and more cornplete sarnple of gay characters both positive and negative than had previously existed. This thesis should not be considered to be an exhaustive representation of the portrayal of gay characters in gay literature. Nevertheless, this presentation will hopefully contribute to the understanding of gay literature through the comparison of sameness and difference across these examples. Appropriately, the two novels investigate the interrelationship of ethnicity, gender and sexuality in society and are forerunners to more recent theoretical investigations of the relationship between gender and race. This thesis will investigate the varying perspectives on gay identity in these two novels. While discussing gay identity, the study will expose the paradox of the constant complicity of gay identity with stereotypical behaviour and the defiance of gay identity against socially constructed noms. In addition, the thesis will provide an analysis of the relationship of the aforementioned paradoxical dynamic of oppression to the formation of gay identity under the categories of ethnicity,