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Roger Rosenblatt’s book Black Fiction, in attempting to apply literary rather than sociopolitical criteria to its subject, successfully alters the approach taken by most previous studies. As Rosenblatt notes, criticism of Black writing has often served as an excuse for expounding on Black history. Addison Gayle’s recent work, for example, judges the value of Black fiction by overtly political standards, faring each work according to the notions of Black identity which it put forward. Although fiction assuredly springs from political circumstances, its authors react to those circumstances in ways other than ideological, and talking about novels and stories .primarily as instruments of ideology limits much of the fictional enterprise. Rosenblatt’s literary ysis discloses relations and connotations among works of Black fiction which solely political studies have overlooked or ignored. Writing acceptable criticism of Black fiction, however, presupposes giving satisfactory answers to a number of questions. First of all, is there a sufficient reason, other than the racial identity of the authors, to group together works by Black authors Second, how does Black fiction make itself distinct from other modern fiction with which it is largely contemporaneous Rosenblatt’s idea shows that Black fiction constitutes a distinct body of writing that has an identifiable, coherent literary tradition. Looking at novels written by Blacks over the last eighty years, lie discovers recurring concerns and designs independent of chronology. These structures are thematic, and they spring, not surprisingly, from the central fact that the Black characters in these novels exist in a predominantly White culture, whether they try to conform to that culture or rebel against it. Black Fiction does leave some aesthetic questions open. Rosenblatt’s thematic ysis permits considerable objectivity; he even states that it is not his intention to judge the merit of the various works--yet his reluctance seems misplaced, especially since an attempt to appraise might have led to interesting results. For instance, some of the novels appear to be structurally diffused. Is this a defect, or are the authors working out of, or trying to create, a different kind of aesthetic In addition, the style of some Black novels, like Jean Toomer’s Cane, verges on expressionism or surrealism; does this technique provide a counterpoint to the popular theme that describes the fate against which Black heroes are struggling, a theme usually conveyed by more naturalistic modes of expression In spite of such omissions, what Rosenblatt does include in his discussion makes for a keen and worthwhile study. Black Fiction surveys a wide variety of novels, bringing to our attention in the process some fascinating and little-known works like James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. Its argument is tightly constructed, and its forthright, clear style exemplifies levelheaded and penetrating criticism.

The author refers to James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man most probably in order to