New Dimensions of Spirituality: A Bi-Racial and Bi-Cultural Reading of the Novels of Toni Morrison

(Hardback)

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This series of essays on Toni Morrison's first four novels--The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Sula, and Tar Baby is the delightful, intelligent collaboration of a white of Greek descent (Demetrakopoulos) and a black American (Holloway). In addition to the influence of their respective backgrounds, Demetrakopoulos is particularly interested in women's studies and Jungian psychology, and Holloway in black studies and linguistics; these fields inform their individual contributions. . . . The clear writing is free of academic jargon and makes exceptionally good sense. Very highly recommended to academic libraries, especially for women's studies and black literature collections. Choice This first full-length study of the novels of Toni Morrison is a breakthrough in literary criticism, not only from the standpoint of feminist critique but as a biracial, bicultural dialogue on literary, social, and spiritual themes. Holloway, a specialist in Black studies and psycholinguistics, and Demetrakopoulos, whose academic interests include women's studies and Jungian psychology, weave their multidisciplinary interests and divergent experience into an integrated study of Toni Morrison's novels. The authors' introductory essays put Morrison's work in critical perspective and approach her literary vision in terms of its cultural, racial, and historical linkages and meanings. The novels are then considered chronologically by both authors, who each comment freely on the interpretations and viewpoints of the other.

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This series of essays on Toni Morrison's first four novels--The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Sula, and Tar Baby is the delightful, intelligent collaboration of a white of Greek descent (Demetrakopoulos) and a black American (Holloway). In addition to the influence of their respective backgrounds, Demetrakopoulos is particularly interested in women's studies and Jungian psychology, and Holloway in black studies and linguistics; these fields inform their individual contributions. Both women are professors of English. They each write one chapter on each novel, as well as a chapter of introduction, personal reveries, ' and a conclusion. While they do not, of course, agree on all points, their writing and approaches complement rather than contradict. As an example of their differing interests, Holloway states that her cowriter's approach to Solomon is more deeply embedded in archetypes than her own, which sees its cultural wisdom. Demetrakopoulos sees The Bluest Eye as a bleak beginning.' Holloway as the language and music of survival.' Sula is viewed by the former as a powerful tale of woman-to-woman bonds and by the latter as a story of woman bonding to her self as woman.' The clear writing is free of academic jargon and makes exceptionally good sense. Very highly recommended to academic libraries, especially for women's studies and black literature collections.-Choice
"This series of essays on Toni Morrison's first four novels--The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Sula, and Tar Baby is the delightful, intelligent collaboration of a white of Greek descent (Demetrakopoulos) and a black American (Holloway). In addition to the influence of their respective backgrounds, Demetrakopoulos is particularly interested in women's studies and Jungian psychology, and Holloway in black studies and linguistics; these fields inform their individual contributions. Both women are professors of English. They each write one chapter on each novel, as well as a chapter of introduction, personal reveries, ' and a conclusion. While they do not, of course, agree on all points, their writing and approaches complement rather than contradict. As an example of their differing interests, Holloway states that her cowriter's approach to Solomon is more deeply embedded in archetypes than her own, which sees its cultural wisdom. Demetrakopoulos sees The Bluest Eye as a bleak beginning.' Holloway as the language and music of survival.' Sula is viewed by the former as a powerful tale of woman-to-woman bonds and by the latter as a story of woman bonding to her self as woman.' The clear writing is free of academic jargon and makes exceptionally good sense. Very highly recommended to academic libraries, especially for women's studies and black literature collections."-Choice

Author Bio

KARLA F.C. HOLLOWAY, is William R. Kenan Professor of English and African American Literature and Director of African and Afro-American Studies at Duke University. STEPHANIE DEMETRAKOPOULOS is Professor of English at Western Michigan University.