“Hyphenated” identities: The Issue of Cultural Identity in Selected Ethnic American Autobiographical Texts

The monograph (…) represents a coherent and comprehensive text partly based on the author’s doctoral dissertation. It brings both theoretical observations and detailed analyses of selected primary sources with the added value of the author’s ten-year perspective acquired since the PhD dissertation was submitted and defended. As the author claims, and the character of the text proves it, it is intended for students and colleagues working within literary studies. It provides its potential readers with an insight into the specific genre from much more than literary angle stressing broader viewpoints of cultural identity. (…) „HYPHENATED” IDENTITIES: The Issue of Cultural Identity in Selected Ethnic American Autobiographical Texts demonstrates the ability of Elzbieta Rokosz-Piejko to apply theoretical knowledge and selected methodology to the analysis of chosen primary authentic material, and systematise information from secondary sources and results of analyses into a complex but well-organized text..   Doc. Mgr. SlavkaTomascikova, PhD. Department of British and US Studies P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Slovakia       TABLE OF CONTENTS:   PREFACE   INTRODUCTION   1. ALL THINGS NECESSARY – TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 1.1. Autobiography in theory and practice 1.2. A brief history of the genre 1.3. Ethnic American autobiographies 1.3.1. Immigrant autobiographies 1.3.1.1. Asian American Autobiography 1.3.1.2. Jewish American Autobiography 1.3.1.3. Mexican American Autobiography 1.3.2. African American Autobiography 1.3.3. Native American Autobiography 1.4. Who is Who? – The autobiographers selected   2. THE PLACE. IS HOME WHERE THE HEART IS? 2.1. Place, displacement and the idea of belonging 2.2. Immigrants 2.2.1. Mary Antin 2.2.2. Eva Hoffman 2.2.3. Maxine Hong Kingston 2.2.4. Richard Rodriguez 2.3. African Americans 2.3.1. Richard Wright 2.3.2. Zora Neale Hurston 2.4. A Native American – Navarre Scott Momaday 2.5. Concluding remarks   3. PERSONAL PAST, ANCESTRAL HERITAGE AND COMMUNAL HISTORY 3.1. The past, history and heritage 3.2. Immigrants 3.2.1. Mary Antin 3.2.2. Eva Hoffman 3.2.3. Maxine Hong Kingston 3.2.4. Richard Rodriguez 3.3. African Americans 3.3.1. Richard Wright 3.3.2. Zora Neale Hurston 3.4. A Native American – Navarre Scott Momaday 3.5. Concluding remarks   4. OTHERS AMONG OTHERS 4.1. Otherness 4.2. Immigrants 4.2.1. Mary Antin 4.2.2. Eva Hoffman 4.2.3. Maxine Hong Kingston 4.2.4. Richard Rodriguez 4.3. African Americans 4.3.1. Richard Wright 4.3.2. Zora Neale Hurston 4.4. A Native American – Navarre Scott Momaday 4.5. Concluding remarks   5. EDUCATION 5.1. Assimilation through education 5.2. Immigrants 5.2.1. Mary Antin 5.2.2. Eva Hoffman 5.2.3. Maxine Hong Kingston 5.2.4. Richard Rodriguez 5.3. African Americans 5.3.1. Richard Wright 5.3.2. Zora Neale Hurston 5.4. A Native American – Navarre Scott Momaday 5.5. Concluding remarks   6. FINAL REMARKS AND CONCLUSIONS 6.1. The assimilation process 6.2. The American ethos   BIBLIOGRAPHY