Roger Rosenblatt ’s book Black Fiction,in attemptingto apply literaryratherthansociopolitical criteria to its subject, successfully alters the approach taken by mostprevious studies. As Rosenblatt notes, criticism of Black writing has often served as apretextfor expounding on Black history.Addison Gayle’s recent work, for example, judgesthe value of Black fiction by overtly political standards, rating each work according tothe notions of Black identity which it propounds.Although fictionassuredly springs from politicalcircumstances ，its authors react tothose circumstances in ways other than ideological, and talking about novels and storiesprimarilyas instrumentsof ideologycircumvents much of the fictional enterprise.Rosenblatt ’s literaryanalysisdisclosesaffinitiesand connections among works of Blackfiction which solely political studies have overlooked or ignored. Writing acceptable criticism ofBlack fiction, however, presupposes giving satisfactory answers to a number of questions.First of all, is there a sufficient reason, other than the facial identity of the authors, to group together works by Black authorsSecond, how does Black fiction make itself distinct from other modern fiction with which it islargely contemporaneous Rosenblatt shows that Black fiction constitutes a distinct bodyof writingthat has an identifiable， coherent literarytradition.Looking at novels writtenby Black over the last eighty years, he discovers recurringconcerns and designs independentof chronology. These structures are thematic, and they spring, not surprisingly, from thecentralfact that the Black charactersin these novels exist in a predominantlywhite culture,whether they try to conform to that culture or rebel against it.Black Fictiondoes leave some aestheticquestions open. Rosenblatt ’s thematic analysispermits considerable objectivity; he even explicitly states that it is not his intentionto judge the merit of the various works D yet his reluctance seems misplaced, especiallysince an attempt to appraise might have led to interesting results. For instance, some ofthe novels appear to be structurallydiffuse.Is this a defect,or are the authors workingout of, or trying to forge, a different kind of aesthetic In addition, the style of someBlack novels, like JeanToomey’s Cane, verges on expressionism or surrealism; does thistechnique provide a counterpointto the prevalenttheme that portrays the fate against whichBlack heroes are pitted,a theme usuallyconveyed by more naturalisticmodes of expressionIn spite of such omissions, what Rosenblatt does include in his discussion makes foran astute and worthwhile study. Black Fiction surveys a wide variety of novels, bringingto our attention in the process some fascinating and little-known works like James WeldonJohnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Its argument is tightly constructed, andits forthright, lucid style exemplifies levelheaded and penetrating criticism.
1. The author of the text is primarily concerned with __________.
[A] Evaluating the soundness of a work of criticism.[B] Comparing various critical approaches to a subject.
[C] Discussing the limitations of a particular kind of criticism.
[D] Summarizing the major points made in a work of criticism.
2. The author of the text believes that Black Fiction would have been improved hadRosenblatt __________.
[A] Evaluated more carefully the ideological andhistoricalaspects of Black fiction.
[B] Attempted to be more objective in his approach to novels and stories by Blackauthors.
[C] Explorein greaterdetailthe recurrentthematicconcerns of Black fictionthroughout its history.
[D] Assessed the relative literary merit of the novels he analyzes thematically.
3.author ’s discussion of Black Fiction can be best described as __________.
[A] Pedantic and contentious.
[B] Critical but admiring.
[C] Ironic and deprecating.
[D] Argumentative but unfocused.author of the text employs all of the following in the discussion ofRosenblatt ’s
4.book EXCEPT： __________.
[A] Rhetorical questions.
[B] Specific examples.
[C] Comparison and contrast.
[D] Definition of terms.
5. The author of the text refers to James WeldonJohnson’s Autobiography of anEx-Colored Man most probably in order to __________.
[A] point out affinitiesbetween Rosenblatt ’s method of thematic analysis and earliercriticism.
[B] Clarify the point about expressionistic style made earlier in the passage.
[C] Qualify the assessment ofRosenblatt ’s book made in the first paragraph of thepassage.
[D] give a specific example of one of the accomplishments ofRosenblatt ’s work.
