The Signifying Monkey by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
A Theory of Afro-American Literary Criticism
A foundational study that develops a theory of African American literary criticism grounded in the vernacular practice of Signifyin(g)—a mode of rhetorical indirection, repetition, and revision rooted in trickster folklore. It traces the movement from oral traditions to written texts, showing how writers encode double-voiced meanings, parody, and intertextual play to negotiate power, identity, and authorship. Blending folklore studies with structuralist and poststructuralist theory, it offers close readings that illuminate a distinctive tradition of revision and cultural critique within Black literature.
- Published
- 1988
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 300-360
- Original Language
- English
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