Canning, R. (2014) James Purdy’s notions of childhood in the 1960s: a historical and contextual consideration. Invited Presentation presented to: American Literary Association Annual Conference 2014: James Purdy Society Panel: The 1960s and James Purdy, Washington DC, 22-25 May 2014. (Unpublished)
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Abstract:
This paper considers three works of fiction written and published by James Purdy either in the early 1960s or immediately before – Malcolm (1959), The Nephew (1961) and Children is All (1963), each of which featured the representation of children and childhood, an aspect of his writings which has always generated considerable critical controversy and comment, including in respect of questions of sexuality and sexual instinct, but with reference to many other factors too, including regionality, culture, notions of the family, religion, ethics and nationality, and the formal function of diverse forms of humour, and of literary form, including the cultural presuppositions and tropes of the “tragic” and Purdy’s accommodation of acts of violence in particular. If the presence of children poses questions for readers of Purdy’s work, destabilising and reconfiguring traditional narratives and undermining readerly presumptions about what to expect in “literary fiction”, it does so nowhere more strongly that in the period 1955-1965 – a period in which, it would seem, the animus guiding Purdy towards writing reflected the title of his play, and a volume of the same name, Children is All.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
James Purdy, Malcolm, The Nephew, Children Is All, children
Subjects:
Creators:
Canning, R.
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Research Centres > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing
Research Centres > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing
Date:
25 May 2014
Date Type:
Presentation
Event Title:
American Literary Association Annual Conference 2014: James Purdy Society Panel: The 1960s and James Purdy
Event Dates:
22-25 May 2014
Event Location:
Washington DC
Event Type:
Conference
Language:
English
Status:
Unpublished
Refereed:
No
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