explication of theme in erasure by Percival Everett, Theme is family

p Explication of theme in erasure by Percival Everett , Theme is family

Whether Racism is an issue of not in USA (also in some Western Countries , it is a flourishing business . The Black are aware of this fact and do not hesitate to take `un 'due advantage of the situation . When a Black writer takes on another `black ' writer , the basic issue , the calamity of being a Black , is intelligently swept under the carpet or the issue will be highlighted with a thick coat of extra Black , for the purpose of competition . I

remember a three-time divorcee also a scholar in the oriental language Sanskrit , comment on the theme family . Marriage is the foundation stone for a happy family ' he said and then went on to dissect the word `Vivaha (marriage . `Vaha ' means to flow and `vi ' means harmoniously together . Therefore , the word `Vivaha ' means to flow together harmoniously . Two distinct individuals two separate personalities , bred , born and brought up in different set of circumstances try to come together from that day onwards to find a common identity , a common goal , and to be precise a common all ! he said .---thank for you support to the institution of marriage , the three-time divorcee that

An author , when he decides to write the novel , has the issue and theme hovering in his mind . His being an author is itself the major issue Howsoever detached he claims to be , he can not avoid himself , from the word go to the last sentence of the novel . The next importance issue is the influence of the family , an important family member or members

Percival Everett is a Professor of literature and Head of the English Department at the University of Southern California and the author of fourteen previous novels . He is the Ellison in the novel under review

`Ellison faces personal and family crises - most notably , his aged mother is fast succumbing to Alzheimer 's and he is also struggling to understand his father 's suicide seven years before . The first 10 pages of the book relate to conversation between brother and sister , brother and brother and other personal issues . This is the first indication of the firm attachment the author has for the family , or say the `joint family ' The book is an entertaining mix of serious issues clubbed with personal affection and parody . The `family ' thread appears and reappears in the novel in one form or the other

Everett had a strong provocation to write this novel . The badge of suffering that had been a part of the Black family not many decades ago in U .S . comes to the fore in the very first page of the book . He writes I have always been severely put off by any story which had its main character a writer (To an extent it is true of this novel also ) So , I will claim to be something else , if not instead , then in addition , and that shall be a son , a brother , a fisherman , an art lover , a woodworker If for no other reason , I choose this last , callous-building occupation because of the shame it caused to my mother , who for years called my pickup truck a station wagon ' - the familial bonds are subtly explained and given importance to (p .1 )He novel is a parody of contemporary African-American literature . It contains excellent s on authentic family /social feelings with depth and emotion My Pafology was initially submitted to the Agent under the gangsta pseudonym Stagg R .Leigh . This one `wrong ' step leads to a series of comical , problematic situations later as the novel climbs the ladder of unprecedented success

`Thelonius "Monk " Ellison , author of experimental novels , is somewhat estranged from his family because he was favored by an emotionally distant , recently deceased father . When his sister is killed , Monk returns to Washington , D .C , to care for his mother , who is in the early stages of Alzheimer 's disease ' The graphic as to how he tackles the family crisis , clubbed with the professional crisis , with the burden of seventeen ejection slips for his novel , which later turns out to be a monumental success , keeps the reader glued to the novel Monk 's main character is an Ebonics-spouting brute with no regard for his four children or their respective mothers

Everett is an enormously talented writer , who juggles with the serious issues related to Black race and other problems faced by US with ease and makes you ponder and giggle at the same time . His wit , the mode of criticism and sarcasm are worth noting . The ideas are engaging and he has intelligently roped in the black community and the white community his sweet-bitter comments on the US social system merit careful attention , though he says it with a hilarious authenticity br

p References Cited

Everett , Percival : Novel : Erasure

back : 288 pages

Publisher : Hyperion (October 2 , 2002

Language : English

ISBN-10

ISBN-13 : 53

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