3 M/F (1971)
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Christopher W. Thurley
Abstract
The discussion of Burgess’s novel M/F emphasizes the significance of American debates and cultural signifiers of the late 1960s and early 1970s, including pornography, student protests, higher education, and race relations. It is already well attested that Burgess was motivated by his reading of Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist theories to focus this novel around an Algonquin myth, but little critical attention has been paid to the other American cultural signifiers within the text. By discussing these aspects, the chapter proposes that M/F is a decidedly American text in content, setting, characters, experimental nature, and theme. Sources consulted in this chapter include Burgess’s non-fiction commentaries on pornography, obscenity, incest, mythology, race, language, and literariness. This critical reading of M/F, therefore, promises to reposition this text as Burgess’s first ‘American’ novel.
Abstract
The discussion of Burgess’s novel M/F emphasizes the significance of American debates and cultural signifiers of the late 1960s and early 1970s, including pornography, student protests, higher education, and race relations. It is already well attested that Burgess was motivated by his reading of Claude Lévi-Strauss’s structuralist theories to focus this novel around an Algonquin myth, but little critical attention has been paid to the other American cultural signifiers within the text. By discussing these aspects, the chapter proposes that M/F is a decidedly American text in content, setting, characters, experimental nature, and theme. Sources consulted in this chapter include Burgess’s non-fiction commentaries on pornography, obscenity, incest, mythology, race, language, and literariness. This critical reading of M/F, therefore, promises to reposition this text as Burgess’s first ‘American’ novel.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of illustrations vi
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
- 1 On his mind (1956–66) 21
- 2 Burgess on the United States 47
- 3 M/F (1971) 94
- 4 The Clockwork Testament, or Enderby’s End (1974) and New York (1976) 158
- 5 Earthly Powers (1980) 240
- 6 The End of the World News (1982) 266
- 7 Enderby’s Dark Lady, or No End to Enderby (1984) 284
- 8 After America 337
- Conclusion 345
- Index 356
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of illustrations vi
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
- 1 On his mind (1956–66) 21
- 2 Burgess on the United States 47
- 3 M/F (1971) 94
- 4 The Clockwork Testament, or Enderby’s End (1974) and New York (1976) 158
- 5 Earthly Powers (1980) 240
- 6 The End of the World News (1982) 266
- 7 Enderby’s Dark Lady, or No End to Enderby (1984) 284
- 8 After America 337
- Conclusion 345
- Index 356
