Discuss ‘Another Country’ as a Realistic Novel
Another Country is definitely the innovative and fresh novel of the time as it not only represents the tabooed topics and reveals carefully hidden truths but also gives the new lease of life to the genre of a realistic novel. This particular statement seems to be evident because James Baldwin made his book embody realistic novel’s main features, which are the reality, fidelity, docudrama, human psychology, complex characters, plot structure and narrative style (Shivaji University, 3).
Reality and Fidelity
Even the name of a realistic novel speaks on its behalf; therefore, it is obvious that the proper reflection of the reality is its main objective. Historically, this features appeared as a result of classical authors’ experience in working as journalists (Shivaji University, 3). However, Baldwin’s realism differs from what we expect when reading the book of a famous realist. In this particular novel, the reality looks alive and true not because of the plaque of the publicist style but due to the topics, represented in it
James Baldwin in these terms is definitely a worthy representative of realism as he dauntlessly talks about human relationships and their personal drama openly. In fact, Baldwin’s “Another Country” is an undoubtedly fresh book, which is bravely revealing the existing concepts of sexual minorities, extramarital relationships, jealousy, treason, and racism. The tabooed topics appear in front of the audience merely for the first time; therefore, the novel was widely critiqued for using the perverted realism when talking about the concepts of race and gender. However, the fact was that Baldwin was totally aware of all of these tabooed issues appearing to be true. Addressing the reality, he lives in, Baldwin lifts the curtain and lets the whole world into. Actually, these issues exist and keep their exclusive status within the centuries but Baldwin’s contemporaries were scared to represent them.
Baldwin’s eagerness to investigate and to show the whole image, drawn from the little pieces of the puzzle, is fidelity to the facts of the reality he, his characters and his audience lives in. Even though Baldwin’s Another Country has a wide complex of characters and they follow different plotlines, the fidelity to the full representation is definitely one of the most important features of the book.
Docudrama
Docudrama has early become the obvious progenitor of the realistic literature. The first writers, which followed the ideas of representing reality the way it really is, drawn their looks to the ordinary people (Shivaji University, 3). As his literary predecessors, James Baldwin builds his novel on the story of an unpopular musician and his circle of friends. Even though Rufus, the main character, is a definitely talented artist, his inner conflicts let him down, drawing back from the creating. Despite the fact that other characters are representing the bohemian circles, as well as Rufus does, they are not considered to be totally unique. In the context of the world literature and art, the story about the relations between the members of bohemia is not infrequent.
Focusing his novel around Rufus and his surrounding, Baldwin sets a list of unexpected coordinates. The environment he builds is the definitely real situation. The thing is that the habitat of the characters is hidden beyond the morals of the society of the time and Baldwin was the first to reveal it. His examination of the world of bohemian relations is definitely similar to the modern docudrama as behind his literary language hides the deep analysis.
For example, the relations between Rufus and Leona, which are decorated enough to be a beautiful and intriguing story of love and hate (Miller 90). As a matter of fact, this aspect of the novel hides some more important things to tell the reader. Firstly, it reveals Rufus’ unconscious uncertainty and his inner conflict. This, in turn, refers to the racial conflict within the novel. By showing the obvious manifestation of Rufus’ cruel and violent behavior towards the woman he thinks he love, Baldwin displays the whole complex concept of race and racial conflicts (Brownson 11).
Complex Characters
Characterization is the obsession of all the realistic authors. In order to make their story seem more real, the writers are eager to present people, who would seem to be as alive as its readers. Therefore, the characters must be as complex as possible; they ought to have controversial features and struggle to decide how to act and even sometimes be deadly wrong. As it is impossible to define whether they are good or bad, the readers consider them close to the real world (Shivaji University, 4).
All of the stated above statements are definitely true when applied to the Baldwin’s another country. Moreover, the images of his characters are complex and complete, which makes it possible to predict the character’s behavior in some particular conditions. For example, Richard’s wife Cass. As Richard was involved in a rough working timetable, his wife started feeling loneliness and eagerness to find more emotions. Involved in the love affair with Eric, she enjoys the love, given by another man. Besides, she blames Richard for been absent all the time. In the end, during the peak of a highly emotional conversation with Richard, she wants to make him accept his guilt in ruining their relations. However, when she confirms and understands the pain Richard feels, she emphasizes. Feeling with Richard, she is eager to accept her guilt instead of blaming Richard (Miller 68).
The realistic novel reveals complexity through the dialogues and inner thought. This conversation between Richard and Cass supports this statement. During their quarrel, Richard and Cass reveal their deepest controversial emotions and features, which are accusation on the contrary to the empathy and love in contrary to suffering.
Portrayal of Human Psychology
Complex characters cannot convince the readers without the deep psychological analysis of their actions and motives. Even though the story is a third-person narrative, the author seems to understand all of the ideas. Therefore, the characters usually appear from different perspectives (Shivaji University, 4).
The most psychologically examined character is undoubtedly Rufus. His inner conflict between the confidence and eagerness to dominate are actually sponsored by his will to gain a foothold among other races. His involvement with a white woman Leona and his habit to abuse her represent the darkest sides of the Rufus’ personality. However, the narrator does not accuse him of being cruel because he analyses the deepest roots of Rufus’ conflict and lets the reader find the justification in the tense climate of the society of the time.
However, the author also reveals the good side of Rufus when he mentions Vivaldo, Rufus’ best friend. As Rufus understands the struggle of Vivaldo’s life, he tries to help him. Here, the author analyses Rufus as a person, who can be deeply empathic and open to the trouble of his surroundings (Dunning).
Plot Structure
What concerns the plot of a realistic novel, it does not have to follow a particular traditional system (Shivaji University, 4). In the ‘Another Country’, almost all of the events start to develop after the Rufus’s death. Still, even though the general flow of the plot does not contain Rufus as an active character, this man seems to be present in almost all scenes. In fact, his invisible presence is a factor, which rules the events of the novel.
However, the general time sequence is interrupted by a number of flashbacks. In these terms, the story is quite complicated to understand. Especially complex are the relations of Rufus, Vivaldo, and Eric, who were once together. Now, as the years passed, they meet and remember all that was happening. However, the moments of remembering these moments of the past are sometimes chaotic, which ruins the classical unity of time, place, and events.
Narrative Style
Realistic novels have their own way of presenting the story when a narrator is considered to be an equal character too. Instead of the indifferent description of all the events, the narrator of a realistic novel seems to ignore some details or be unaware of different integral aspects. These authors are just like the usual people, who retell the story they were a witness of. Therefore, the representatives of realism in the literature often narrate the story from their own point of view, giving the narrator the features of independence (Shivaji University, 5).
James Baldwin definitely identifies the narrator as an equal character as the narrative style makes it obvious that the narrator understands the characters. This sort of understanding makes the narrator a real person as he can feel something, at least empathy or conviction. In fact, the narrator of Another Country also helps the readers to understand in which way it is better to perceive the story but still leaves some free space for them to decide.
Works Cited
Shivaji University. Understanding Novel. Kolhapur: Centre for Distance Education, 2015. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
Miller, D. Quentin. Re-Viewing James Baldwin. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2000. Print.
Dunning, S. "Parallel Perversions: Interracial and Same Sexuality in James Baldwin's Another Country". MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States 26.4 (2001): 95-112. Web.
Brownson, Joanna. The Accumulated Rock of Ages. Questions of Identity in James Baldwin’s Early Fiction. Middletown: Wesleyan University, 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.
