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Rutherford Calhoun on Writing: Historiographic Metafiction and Subjecthood in Middle Passage.

  • Published In: Callaloo, 2024, v. 42, n. 4. P. 28 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Spooner, Todd 3 of 3

Abstract

Charles Johnson's novel Middle Passage reimagines the traditional slave narrative through a revisionist telling of the transatlantic journey. By way of historiographic metafiction, Johnson deploys protagonist Rutherford Calhoun to rewrite the slave ship Republic 's palimpsestic logbook, and through this process not only revises its historical record but constructs an identity marked by universal features of humanismits. Although many scholars have focused on Johnson's philosophical emphasis on Eastern principles, this essay argues that the identity formulated by Calhoun illustrates characteristics most associated with Western ideals of individuality and responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Callaloo. 2024/12, Vol. 42, Issue 4, p28
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0161-2492
  • DOI:10.1353/cal.2024.a952609
  • Accession Number:183553909
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Callaloo is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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