Through a Glass Darkly

Drawing on texts ranging from Chief Joseph's 1887 speech and Henry James' "The American Scene" to Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", this study pursues new paths of ethnic inquiry in the context of semiotics. The author focuses on the question: "Who can predict when the ethnic difference will surface and why?". He answers by approaching American literature with an awareness of the dynamic nature of ethnogenesis, an awareness that views literature not as a mere reflection of ethnically diverse "experiences", but as a productive force that may Americanize and ethnicize readers.