Barrington writes: “We were aiming for a complete transformation of society, not merely the passage of a few reforms.” This belief in fundamental ideological change is woven into the fabric of America, as is the rather destructive methods of achieving such a revolution. The second section of the story relates Barrington’s voyage across the ocean to America to visit her girlfriend, Miriam, who was there seeing her parents. A gift from a friend upon Barrington’s departure, marijuana is a constant companion on her trip. Barrington’s gender, sexuality, and drug use situate her on the margins of “mainstream” society which a hallmark of contemporary American literature.
In the final two sections of the story, Barrington heads for San Francisco which her “blood and bones knew that San Francisco was the place all lesbian roads led to. Even before Harvey Milk and the murders, before the demonstrations and the ballot initiatives, just about every gay person in the world knew that city was our Mecca.” Here she sets up America as a promised land, certainly a traditional American view. Also, her roadtrip is particularly American and feels like a lesbian Kerouacian experience.
VanSpanckeren also discusses the desire among contemporary American writers “for open, less canonical genres” gave rise to “global, multiethnic, and women's literature – works in which writers reflect on experiences shaped by culture, color, and gender” such as memoirs like Barrington’s.
Barrington as a foreign-born American immigrant, as a woman, as a homosexual, as a pot smoker as
a memoir writer focused on events outside mainstream culture, is perfectly reflective of contemporary American literature.
What works do you see as reflective of contemporary American literature?
Interesting question too of whether a story would be characterized as reflective of contemporary American literature (CAL) or of contemporary America, which I think would be quite a separate question. (In the latter category for example, I would put "Before the Fall" by Noah Hawley (not yet published) which skewers American vulnerability and susceptibility to politicians and news media personalities who appeal to peoples' baser instincts and "tell it like it is" and so on. And looking backward, there were great societal-commentary books like Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis. But I don't think these are necessarily reflective of CAL, which I would think to be a broader category.) I also think dystopias are quite interesting in the way they reflect contemporary *concerns* of Americans, and yet also not necessarily reflective of American *literature*. I don't know that I would agree with the author that one can see much in CAL of multiethnic global stories, unless there are also white characters. I think the many statistics collected - at least with respect to children's lit - shows in fact a lack of "democratic and heterogenous" trends in publishing. It's better than the past of course, and maybe this is what she means by saying "at the turn of the 21st Century" and with hope, it with improve the more that attention is called to the dearth of diversity. So what would I personally (pretending for a moment I have standing to see any trend at all) see as reflective of CAL? Well, that's a tough one! Certainly, characters are now pulling out their cell phones rather than running to phone booths, LOL. And maybe I would venture to say, there is more cynicism and a willingness to expose flaws in American myths, like the goodness and primacy of the nuclear family. But for other traits, I think it is complicated by the division into genres. Do the trends we see in romance books, for example, qualify as CAL? (ha ha, trick question)
ReplyDeleteYou are so awesome Jill. :) I love the distinction you make between CAL and simply CA. I agree that there is definitely a distinction between the two. Hopefully "literature" in its canonical high falutin' sense reveals the best of our intellect; although it simultaneously seems to reveal the worst of who we are. So much CAL is critical of society; then again, that seems to be a trend throughout literature of all times and places. I guess criticizing makes sense though as there has to be some exigence for writing, something that pokes at the author until they have to exorcise it on to the page. Okay, now I'm getting into rambling stream-of-consciousness mode. I would love to take a course with you. :)
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