White Women Writing White: Identity and Representation in (Post-) Apartheid Literatures of South Africa

by West, Mary

• ISBN13: 9780864867155
• ISBN10: 0864867158
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-10-30
• Publisher: Intl Pub Marketing

Summary

White Women Writing Whiteis a provocative analysis of the works of selected South African women writers, examining the ways in which each deals with concepts of white identity. Drawing on a range of source materials, from popular novels (Pamela Jooste and Susan Mann) and magazine columns (Marianne Thamm) to major works such as A Change of Tongue (Antjie Krog) and short stories by Nadine Gordimer and Marlene van Niekerk, this book seeks to tease out the hidden meanings and assumptions in the ways these writers have portrayed the white South African experience. White Women Writing Whiteis an important addition to the internationally growing field of whiteness studies, which views white identity as a social construct. In this respect, the book also reflects a particular current in post-colonial studies; instead of subjecting the 'Other' to detailed analysis, this line of study examines the often unspoken assumption that whiteness is the norm by which all experiences are measured. Although primarily aimed at an academic readership, this forceful and thought-provoking book is sure to interest anyone with an eye on developments and critical perspectives in South African literature.