Racism in Literature - Frances A. Della Cava and Madeline H. Engel (essay date 1999)
Frances A. Della Cava and Madeline H. Engel (essay date 1999)
SOURCE: Della Cava, Frances A., and Madeline H. Engel. “Racism, Sexism, and Antisemitism in Mysteries Featuring Women Sleuths.” In Diversity and Detective Fiction, edited by Kathleen Gregory Klein, pp. 38-59. Bowling Green, Ohio.: Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1999.
[In the following essay, Della Cava and Engel explore instances of various kinds of racism in several contemporary detective novels featuring female protagonists.]
As more and more women achieve prominence in mystery fiction both as writers and main characters,1 a growing concern about social issues has begun to permeate the literature; “humanistic crime fiction” has come to the fore. This subgenre “incorporates in-depth characterization with plot realism and social commentary with detection.” While not limited to books by women, Marcia Muller argues that “this type of novel...
[The entire page is 9672 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Related Topics
