THE CITY OF LOVE AND VIOLENCE: HARLEM IN TONI MORRISON’S JAZZ Cover Image

THE CITY OF LOVE AND VIOLENCE: HARLEM IN TONI MORRISON’S JAZZ
THE CITY OF LOVE AND VIOLENCE: HARLEM IN TONI MORRISON’S JAZZ

Author(s): Ioana Stamatescu
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts, Fiction, Studies of Literature, Theory of Literature
Published by: EDITURA ASE
Keywords: New York City; eroticism; identity construction; loss; multiple voice narrative;

Summary/Abstract: The essay looks at the various ways in which the erotic dimension is played out in ToniMorrison’s Jazz by making reference to the interplay of two major aspects: identityconstruction and the city, which are set against the background of jazz and blues thatunderscores the Roaring Twenties in New York City. The city is an environment filled witherotic potential, as it represents a space of the encounter with the other based on exchangeand play. This triggers another element closely linked to eroticism: violence. The analysisfocuses on these two (the erotic and the violent) in an attempt to show that while puttingforth the illusion of freedom and joy, the eroticism only highlights a deeper history oftrauma and violence. I also discuss “jazz” as a cultural theme on the one hand, and acompositional device of the novel on the other

  • Issue Year: 15/2019
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 25-35
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: English