Edith Wharton and the Politics of Race [Hardcover]

Kassanoff shows how Wharton participated in debates on race, class and democratic pluralism at the turn of the twentieth century.Edith Wharton feared that the 'ill-bred', foreign and poor would overwhelm an American native elite. Drawing on a range of turn-of-the-century social documents, unpublished archival material and all of Wharton's novels, Jennie A. Kassanoff argues that a fuller appreciation of American culture and democracy becomes available through a sustained engagement with these controversial views. She pursues her theme via Wharton's spirited participation in a variety of turn-of-the-century discourses--from euthanasia and tourism to pragmatism and Native Americans--to produce a truly interdisciplinary study of this major American writer.Edith Wharton feared that the 'ill-bred', foreign and poor would overwhelm an American native elite. Drawing on a range of turn-of-the-century social documents, unpublished archival material and all of Wharton's novels, Jennie A. Kassanoff argues that a fuller appreciation of American culture and democracy becomes available through a sustained engagement with these controversial views. She pursues her theme via Wharton's spirited participation in a variety of turn-of-the-century discourses--from euthanasia and tourism to pragmatism and Native Americans--to produce a truly interdisciplinary study of this major American writer.Edith Wharton feared that the 'ill-bred', foreign and poor would overwhelm a native American elite. Drawing on a range of turn-of-the-century social documents, unpublished archival material and all of Wharton's novels, Jennie A. Kassanoff argues that a more accurate picture of her appreciation of American culture and democracy develops through less engagement with these controversial views. She pursues her theme by documenting Wharton's spirited participation in turn-of-the-century discourses ranging from euthanasia and tourism to pragmatism and Native Americans.Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1.lÃE