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Voicing Manhood : Masculinity And Dialogue In Ernest J. Gaines's "The Sky Is Gray," "Three Men," And A Gathering Of Old Men, William T. Mallon

Master's Theses

Using concepts both from gender studies of literature and from discourse theory, this thesis explores the relationship between race, masculinity, and dialogue in Ernest Gaines's "The Sky is Gray," "Three Men," and A Gathering of Old Men. In these works, Gaines demonstrates that manhood can be achieved by a process of linguistic appropriation. His African-American male characters become men through the utterance, not the violent act. This thesis examines how Gaines's black men appropriate language among distinct groups: themselves, the extended black community, and the white community.