Black Religion, Sex Myth And Music

James Baldwin, one of the most excellent African American writers in the 20th century, writing from his African American and homosexual identities, has created numerous literary works on such themes as African American history and culture heritage, the racial conflict between the black and the white, modern sexual love, and individual consciousness. His writings, renowned for its being passionate, intense and, at the same time, poignant and ironic, are popularly received as insightful prophecies. This thesis makes an intensive study of Baldwin's writings from a Chinese perspective, attaching much more emphasis on the study of the literary texts per se, to explore how Baldwin takes advantage of religion, sex myth and black music to call for the sexual love, family love and community love and thus to highlight the indispensable roles the African American historical experiences and culture heritage play in Baldwin's writings. This thesis consists of five chapters:Chapter One gives an overview of Baldwin's literary works and its critics home and abroad. And then it is followed with the research novelties, significance, and methods.Chapter Two explores Baldwin's religious belief and tells how Baldwin criticizes the distorted brutal God in black fundamental churches and quests for the ideal God in the secular world in his literary writings. By analyzing the two most important religious works, Go Tell It on the Mountain and The Amen Corner, it succeeds in digging out two absolutely different Gods in Baldwin's literary writings: one is the unloving God in the black fundamental church and the other is the loving God in the secular world, conjured up in Baldwin's expectations. Though Baldwin has created numerous unbelievers in his works, his genuine faith in God has never diminished. Nevertheless, his ideal, loving and promising God can only be found in the family love, sexual love, and community love rather than in the black fundamental churches.Chapter Three tempts to deal with the sexuality in Baldwin's literary writings based on a profound reading of Another Country and Giovanni's Room. Baldwin has succeeded in exploring the intense relation between the sex and racial discrimination by integrating the racial history, man's masculinity into his writings of sex theme and thus to point out that sex is both of a destructive power and a redemptive power: men tend to engage in the sexual abuses to achieve their exaggerated masculinity and revenge for their humiliate history, at the same time, however, people, especially the homosexual lovers, manage to sustain themselves and save others through sexual contacts.Chapter Four highlights musicality in Baldwin's literary writings by taking a close look at his short story, Sonny's Blues, and his play, The Amen Corner. Black music, as a representative of the precious black culture and heritage, is compared to the guideline or compass in Baldwin's literary writings, which helps to direct people to achieve self-discovery, mutual understanding, and community love between the black and the white.Chapter Five makes a conclusion in the end of the paper to reevaluate Baldwin's writing theology and its impact on the African-American literature. It is expected to fill the vacancy of the study of Baldwin in China and illuminate the significance of black historical experience in Baldwin's writings. Baldwin is one of the forerunners to reevaluate the history of the black nation and its heritage, and his creative incorporation of religion, sex myth and black music in his literary writings, unique and thought-provoking, is worthy of the reader's attention and worship.