Japanese by Spring (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Ishmael Reed
- First Published: 1993
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social satire
- Time of Work: Early 1990’s
- Setting: Oakland, California
- Genres: Long fiction, Satire
- Subjects: African Americans, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Africa or Africans, Racism, Interracial relationships, California, West, U.S., Asia or Asians, Multiculturalism, Colleges or universities, 1990’s, Bilingualism, Japan or Japanese people, Japanese Americans
- Locales: Oakland, CA
Characters Discussed
Benjamin “Chappie” Puttbutt III, named for two of the most celebrated African American soldiers in the history of the United States by his father, who is a high-ranking career Army man. He is approaching middle age as an untenured faculty member at a large public college. To advance his career, he has chosen a neoconservative academic position and a pacifist approach to conflict; both stances are at odds with his inner nature and upbringing. By rejecting the black consciousness of the 1960’s and by choosing to study Japanese to be in touch with the...
[The entire page is 1076 words long]
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