Almost a generation of writers passed away in the past two decades. Some of the most talented novelists that departed are Norman Mailer (The Naked and The Dead), J.D. Salinger (The Catcher in the Rye), John Updike (Rabbit Run), and Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse Five). We also lost some talented playwrights like Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman). All these losses made some people start wondering if there were any good authors left. Anis Shivani, a popular critic, wrote in the Huff Post that there is a new American literature and it stinks.
Shivani’s assessment is hard to swallow because it couldn’t be any further from the truth. Contemporary authors of American literature are churning out good quality works. Yes, they have big shoes to fill after the death of literary idols, but they are doing a great job at it. They are not just writing books that are on a par with literary giants that have departed; some of them are raising the bar even higher.
Current authors are good and an indicator of this fact is the similarity in their works to those of great authors that are no longer with us. Not that we are complaining, though. For instance, in Andre Dubus’ book, The Lieutenant, there is a hint of Ernest Hemingway’s influence. It is also evident in Cathedral which is the work of Raymond Carver. The Sportswriter is the work of author Richard Ford. However, Ford’s work has similarities with that of Dubus, Hemingway, and Carver. Elizabeth Bishop is a poet who has written North & South. Her work has some similarities to that of William Carlos Williams. Joyce Carol Oates’ Them got a lot of influence from Hawthorne and has hints of Henry James’ work.
It is true that the shoes of authors such as Herman Melville, Ernest Hemingway, Henry James, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and F. Scott Fitzgerald are quite big for any current author to fill. However, there is true promise in today’s authors.
Authors that carried us into the 21st century know their sociology, history, technology, etc. Such authors as Danzy Senna (Caucasia), Henry Louis Gates (African American Lives) and Gish Jen (Typical American) clearly know their stuff. They are not just trying to emulate departed writing giants but have the potential of becoming literary hall-of-famers.
Unfortunately, critics are given way more chances to describe American literature than they should. The result of this is that people just get a peek through a pigeonhole into American literature and what is usually laid in front of them are the negative aspects of literature. It is not uncommon for critics to stereotype. Terms like ‘black novelists’ ‘Korean-American writers’ or ‘gay writers’ are used instead of the authors simply being described by what they do best – write.
Thank heavens, American literature is not perfect. There are all sorts of writers in the literary world. The art of writing is still fledgling and there are many talented writers from prodigies, the disaffected, superstars, navel-gazers, and many others in between. There is no doubt that American literature is alive and kicking. For every terrible book there are dozens or more that are exceptionally good.
