This study investigated three feminist themes found in the novels of three prominent black women writers. The study asserts that novelist can be rhetors and that their works can have wide persuasive appeal. The novels chosen represented critically acclaimed works which had the potential to reach a wide audience. Each novel has won a major literary award. / The study involved an examination of structure and presentation of the message and a determination of whether black feminist novels addressed the major issues of the Women's Movement and also to what extent these novels conformed to or rejected the ideology of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960's. / Research on the history of black women novelists led to the formulation of the following research questions: (1) To what extent were black women novelists successful in publishing before 1970? (2) What feminist themes are addressed in these novels? (3) What do professional critics say about these novels? (4) What rhetorical strategies can be found in the works of these novelist? / The study focuses on rhetorical and critical analysis. Aristotelian theory of modes of proof and types of discourse was used to determine the rhetorical structure of the novels. / An overview of the history of black women novelists in America is provided in order to examine the situation that prompted the message as well as to identify the target audience of the rhetor. Additionally, a detailed synopsis of each novel is given. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-10, Section: A, page: 3224. / Major Professor: Gregg Phifer. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78079 |
| Contributors | Holt, Sandra Waters., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 211 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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