Summary Of The Autobiography Of An Ex-Colored Man By George Andrade

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Andrade, Heather Russell. “Revising Critical Judgments of ‘The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.’” African American Review, vol. 40, no. 2, 2006, pp. 257–270. Accessed 11 Nov 2016 Andrade’s work provides an analysis of Johnson’s work that takes into consideration the social, political, and literary movements being made at the time the Johnson’s book was written and published. In this article, Andrade demonstrates the various instances within the text deviates from traditional African American literary themes, and those that reflect Johnson’s personal political beliefs. Moreover, this article explains how Johnson’s representation of passing is unlike other works. Through this examination, Andrade draws attention to how Johnson’s text fits into the historical and literary moment that it is a part of. This article would be a great source of anyone looking to compare …show more content…

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man.1912. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Johnson’s novel follows the life of mixed race man in the post-Reconstruction United States of America. As a child the narrator was unaware of his racial heritage. However, once he learns that he is a mixed race individual he begins his journey of developing his identity. This journey takes him across the country and even overseas, with acting as a Black, white, and racially ambiguous man. In addition, the narrator encounters many women who each affect him in different ways. However, despite his adventures, he does not find the identity that he desires. This source is useful because it specifically focuses on a male character searching for an identity. Unlike the other Hughes’ novel, the protagonist in this text struggles with his racial identity and his place in both Black and white communities. However, because this novel includes female characters that impact the narrator’s life, the source is useful in demonstrating the impact characters have on