Ethics and Aesthetics of Freedom in American and Chinese Realism

Before beginning her detailed reading of novels by William Dean Howells, William James, Liu Binyan, and Zhang Xianliang, Xu (English, Florida Atlantic U.) discusses the literary genre of realism, identifying and removing incoherent metaphysical and epistemological suppositions made by both its attackers and defenders, and demonstrating that it does indeed allow writers and readers the leeway to resist domination and practice freedom and care for themselves in creating beautiful lives. She also explores the notion of practicing freedom as propounded by Michel Foucault. The text is double spaced. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)