James Baldwin’s Complex Humanism in the Early Essays and Go Tell It on the Mountain
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The purpose of this paper is to re-examine James Baldwin’s critique of Native Son as stated in his early essays and performed in Go Tell It on the Mountain. In “Everybody’s Protest Novel” and “Many Thousands Gone,” Baldwin argued for the necessity of an African American novel of manners. Baldwin then proceeded to write his first novel which closely echoed the styles of Henry James and James Joyce. Although this move was facilitated by postwar liberalism, Baldwin’s writing preserved a political edge that eventually offended the liberal readership. Baldwin’s literary agenda was a reflection of his complex humanism that propelled him to critique the status quo in no uncertain terms. Baldwin’s politics, however, caused a critical impasse of another kind. By demanding a coalition based on human dignity, Baldwin refused to commit himself to a single-issue alliance. This paper works through Baldwin’s racial and sexual politics in order to clarify the breadth and depth of Baldwin’s commitment to the human. In particular, the proto-feminist elements of his thinking are highlighted in order to defend him against the charge of misogyny. The investigation is continued in a reading of Go Tell It on the Mountain that focuses on the mother-son relationship. The mother-son relationship is central to the protagonist’s epiphany through which he embraces secular life and the uncertainties of living. Through both characters, the novel successfully depicts the complex field of manners in the Harlem ghetto. Baldwin’s aesthetic agenda and humanism lend strength to each other to affirm the intricate inner life of his characters, male and female alike.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to re-examine James Baldwin’s critique of Native Son as stated in his early essays and performed in Go Tell It on the Mountain. In “Everybody’s Protest Novel” and “Many Thousands Gone,” Baldwin argued for the necessity of an African American novel of manners. Baldwin then proceeded to write his first novel which closely echoed the styles of Henry James and James Joyce. Although this move was facilitated by postwar liberalism, Baldwin’s writing preserved a political edge that eventually offended the liberal readership. Baldwin’s literary agenda was a reflection of his complex humanism that propelled him to critique the status quo in no uncertain terms. Baldwin’s politics, however, caused a critical impasse of another kind. By demanding a coalition based on human dignity, Baldwin refused to commit himself to a single-issue alliance. This paper works through Baldwin’s racial and sexual politics in order to clarify the breadth and depth of Baldwin’s commitment to the human. In particular, the proto-feminist elements of his thinking are highlighted in order to defend him against the charge of misogyny. The investigation is continued in a reading of Go Tell It on the Mountain that focuses on the mother-son relationship. The mother-son relationship is central to the protagonist’s epiphany through which he embraces secular life and the uncertainties of living. Through both characters, the novel successfully depicts the complex field of manners in the Harlem ghetto. Baldwin’s aesthetic agenda and humanism lend strength to each other to affirm the intricate inner life of his characters, male and female alike.
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