The Neo-Slave Novel and Progressive Eugenics in Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad

Autores

Palavras-chave:

neo-slave novel, progressivism, eugenics, racism, history., novo romance de escravos, progressismo, eugenia, racismo, “Pomba Enamorada ou uma história de amor”

Resumo

Abstract: Colson Whitehead has been noted for writing books that migrate from one literary genre to another exhibiting then a penchant for genre eclecticism. In light of that, this study proposes that his book The Underground Railroad (2016) should be classified as a neo-slave novel due to its autonomy in recreating antebellum slavery. Besides, in so doing, Whitehead revisits specific shameful historical events represented by his country’s long use of racist medical procedures such as progressive eugenics. These events have been largely forgotten by most Americans and, thus, by recuperating such shameful past Whitehead indicates that progressive eugenics not only reproduced the same racist ideology under slavery but the writer also suggests the possibility that similar medical practices might still be in use today albeit with different names. In pursuing this analysis, the article turns to authors such as Bernard Bell (1987), Toni Morrison (1995), Ashraf H. A. Rushdy (1999), Valerie Smith (2007) as well as interviews with Whitehead.
Keywords: neo-slave novel; progressivism; eugenics; racism; history.


Resumo: Colson Whitehead é reconhecido por escrever livros que migram de um gênero literário para outro exibindo assim uma inclinação para um ecletismo de gênero. Em vista disso, este estudo propõe que seu livro The Underground Railroad: Os caminhos para a liberdade (2017) deveria ser classificado como um novo romance de escravos devido à sua autonomia em recriar a escravidão antes da guerra civil. Ao fazer isso, Whitehead revisita eventos históricos vergonhosos representados pelo longo uso do país de procedimentos médicos racistas tais como a eugenia progressista. Esses eventos foram amplamente esquecidos pela maior parte dos americanos e, portanto, ao recuperar tal passado vergonhoso Whitehead indica que a eugenia progressista não somente reproduzia a mesma ideologia racista sob a escravidão, mas também o escritor sugere a possibilidade que práticas médicas similares podem ainda estar em uso hoje, porém com nomes diferentes. Ao abraçar esta análise, o artigo apoia-se em autores tais como Bernard Bell (1987), Toni Morrison (1995), Ashraf H. A. Rushdy (1999), Valerie Smith (2007) bem como entrevistas com Whitehead.
Palavras-chave: novo romance de escravos; progressismo; eugenia; racismo; história.

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Biografia do Autor

Roberto Ferreira Junior, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Espírito Santo / Brasil

Professor de Literatura em Língua Inglesa do Departamento de Línguas e Letras/UFES. Phd. em Literatura Comparada pela Purdue University, West Lafayette, EUA.

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Arquivos adicionais

Publicado

2022-09-13

Como Citar

Ferreira Junior, R. (2022). The Neo-Slave Novel and Progressive Eugenics in Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad. Aletria: Revista De Estudos De Literatura, 32(2). Recuperado de https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/aletria/article/view/29105