A Study of Race through Publishing Commercialization in Erasure

陳初旦

【Abstract】Everett in his novel Erasure portrays the main character Monk as a black writer who is severely against the racial category in literary works, as he himself has no interest in black literature. However, his insistence in writing about Greek tragedy and French postmodernism brings him no academic success. Under the financial pressure, he spends two weeks and writes a parody to mock a popular black novel. Surprisingly, his novel wins lavish praises from literary critics and movie producers. By demonstrating Monks dilemma in idealistic self-achievement and depressing publishing reality, Everett satirizes how literary works get lost in racial category in the age of publishing commercialization.

【Key words】racial puzzle; stereotypical literary assessment; publishing commercialization

Percival Everett, as an original and non-mainstream black writer, attempts to challenge the established social category in terms of race and literary writing in his novel Erasure. The novel strikes on the devaluation of racial subject matter and leaves readers rethinking about race and how race can influence peoples literary writing and their appreciation of works of art. This article intends to explore the concept of“race”through the lens of commercialization in publishing industry, and to inform readers of how racial categorization can blind peoples understanding and appreciation of artistic works.

As the main character in the novel Erasure, Monk is depicted as a well-educated writer whose particular interest in writing about Greek tragedy and French postmodernism, however, leads him no academic success; he is constantly told by his agent that his writings are not“black enough”based on the publishing demand and readers expectations, which Monk finds quite ridiculous and unreasonable. His struggle between idealistic self-achievement and depressing publishing reality is a major portrayal in the novel. The fact that a barely-educated black lady Jenkins writes a book Wes Lives in Da Ghetto and it becomes a bestseller exceedingly enrages Monk and discourages his writing enthusiasm. In order to mock Jenkins poorly written work and satirize the whole publishing industry, Monk publishes his parody My Pafology under the name of Stagg R. Leigh. To his surprise, the novel is a big hit and brings him fame and money. In the end, he gets stuck in the dilemma of choosing between Monk and Stagg R. Leigh, a struggle between “academic success” and identity loss. Erasure demonstrates how African-American literary works play under the shadow of “race”, and Everett also depicts how media, as a determining factor that promotes popular culture and belief, helps to create the myth of the ghetto as a culturally and intellectually barren wasteland.

In the novel, Monk refuses to subject to the racial category in terms of literary writings. However, being black enforces the racial mark on him, and there is no way he can get rid of that attachment. It is sad and depressing that one has to remind himself of his race as a force of habit. Black as Monk is, but no trace in his writings can be found to indicate his racial representation. His books are received as“finely crafted, with fully developed characters, rich language and subtle play with the plot”, leaving his reviewers puzzled as to what Monks novel “has to do with the African American experience”. Everett satirizes the stereotypical literary assessment in terms of race. The popular commercialized culture makes black experience as something “dark, shocking, less-than-civilized” (Yost 1326), and the endemic commercial advertisement of these black images show how easily the market adapts any “aesthetic act of protest which threatens the white hegemonic power base”. Therefore, the commercialized African-Americans would not be recognized as authority figures, but only as normal human beings, and that is how they can find a willing and receptive market.

The publishing industrys fixation with racial authenticity is another major satire in Erasure. As Kimberly Eaton concludes, “Monks frustrations about his writings are not only about the mistaken categorization of his literary work; they are also about outside pressure to write about race” (225). As the novel progresses, Monk has to shoulder the financial responsibility for the family, and he needs to get something published. Monk spends two weeks and publishes a violent black novel My Pafology under the name of Stagg R. Leigh, and it is a book full of dialects and clichés, but it is a big hit. Hollywood producer contacts him and he is also invited to a talk show introducing the book. Moreover, the novel is evaluated by a group of high-profile editors and critics, but none can tell it is a parody from the real. Monks parody of black novel and his refusal of racial distinctions make him a contemporary invisible man. On the one hand, he is black in the eyes of the white world, which makes his works of art labeled as black. On the other hand, his writings of fine literature make him incompatible in the black world of writings—he is not “black enough” in the black world. By portraying Monks marginal situation in both worlds, Everett confirms and mocks at the fact that a novels reception is often a matter of what its writer looks like.

It is shown that Everetts portrayal of the progress of Monks identity crisis goes along with his existential erasure at the hand of his public alternative personality. Through this novel, Everett tries to send the message that under the influence of commercialism, writers especially black writers are not allowed to maintain and explore the control over their authorial purpose; the commercial images of their people are so fixed that it is not easy for the society to transmit the authorial meaning or desires expressed by black writers. The popular images will not only erase authors individual identities, but will also cheapen the product because of commercialization.

References:

[1]Eaton,Kimberly.Deconstructing The Narrative,Language, Genre,And Experience In Erasure.Nebula 3.2-3(2006):220-232.MLA International Bibliography.

[2]Yost,Brian.The Changing Same:The Evolution Of Racial Self-Definition And Commercialization.Callaloo31.4(2008):1314- 1334.Academic Search Complete.