Hypothesizing that the tendency to define postmodern culture negatively derives from overliteral and undercritical responses to European theorists, this book of essays identifies the wide parameters of postmodernism. The book demonstrates that the literary and artistic temper of the postmodern condition in Europe and America cannot adequately be…

The differences between early African American narratives written by women and those written by men can be seen in a comparison of Harriet A. Jacobs's "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself" and Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave." A comparison of these works…

The underlying constructs for an experimental battery (EB) consisting of artistic judgment tests--the Design Judgment Test (DJT), the Visual Designs Test (VDT), Proportion Appraisal (PA), and the Visual Aesthetic Sensitivity Test--were studied. Scores for 1,686 clients of the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation's aptitude-testing service were…

The author pays tribute to Mordecai Gorelik, a noted critic and scholar of the theatre, by reflecting on the man's critical and dramatic writing. Turning first to his critical writing, the author makes special mention of Gorelik's essays in newspapers and notable journals, his book and production reviews, his articles on theatre appearing in both…

An approach to teaching the novel to high school students by tying literature and the printed media (newspapers and magazines) together is described in this brief article. PROCEDURE (excerpt): To link the study of the printed media to the study of the novel, book reviews, one positive and one negative, were duplicated for classroom use. Students…

Provoking violent controversy, Susan Sontag's speech, "The Lesson of Poland," is an example of subversive rhetoric. Delivered at a February 6, 1982, show of support for the recently oppressed Polish people, Sontag's speech, like other modernist writing, did not seek a consensus with the audience, but challenged its whole scheme of…

Warns of the pitfalls in rigid performance-based teacher education programs by discussing: (1) the goals teacher education should include; (2) the dangers inherent in "teaching to the test" evaluation procedures, and learning models based on behaviorist theories, and (3) the "true" role of accountability in our educational system. (ED)

The political science and sociology conceptual foundations of Stanley Elkin's "Slavery" and John Blassingame's "The Slave Community" are analyzed and compared. (DE)

Carefully planned instruction, which involves students with literature and with each other, can and will help them become more competent, sensitive, and independent readers. (RC)

Argues that the discipline of a total political and social revolution, it is stated, requires the self-discipline (in no way synonymous with control) and responsibility of the writer, as of any other citizen, in ensuring that the initial premises of the revolution are not betrayed, either by selfish failings on the part of the creator or by…

This article defines the advantages of using translations for teaching literature at the secondary level, such as the extension of reading in foreign literature, and the sharpening of linguistic insight and literary awareness. (CLK)

Examines the subject matter, plot structures and theme variations of Simon's more popular plays and concludes that despite mass audience appeal, his works are technically and thematically unsatisfying. Players Magazine, N.I.U. Theatre, DeKalb, Illinois 60115. Subscription Rates: $5.00, one year; $8.50, two years; foreign, $1.00 additional. (MH)

Japanese literature, television, movies, and school texts from 1935 to 1955 are analyzed for their influence and contribution to Japanese youths' pioneering spirit and frontiermindedness. "Asian Affairs" is published by the American-Asian Educational Exchange, New York. (DE)

An assessment of the importance of the role of Black history in revitalizing the study of American history in illuminating the rich and varied contribution of blacks as well as the depth and scope of the white response to the black presence. (EH)

Methods of analyzing literary translations are described, and some violations which normally occur in verse translations in the realm of semantics, vocabulary and syntax are discussed. (RM)