About the book
Scholars and critics have long understood the writing of nineteenth-century Black women as critiquing the figure of Topsy, an enslaved girl in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influential novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Many interpret the works of authors such as Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Wilson, and Hannah Crafts as rejecting Topsy and providing their own corrective representations of Black girls. Through close readings of these works, Allison S. Curseen argues otherwise. Instead, she contends, Black girls' physical movements emerge in their narratives not as rejections but as critical reenactments of Topsy.
Minor Moves draws on performance studies, literary studies, and childhood studies to offer provocative and incisive readings of Black girls' movements in nineteenth-century US literature. Curseen challenges readers to pay attention to “minor” movements that appear fleeting, inconsequential, and easy to overlook. Attending to these movements, Curseen argues, is crucial to imagining Black girl life amid the anti-Blackness embedded in American culture. These movements reveal modes of being that work to elude dominant structures and gesture to the abundance of Black life—to growing bodies, fugitive Black female desires, queer geographies, and unruly, childish plotting.
Editions of Minor Moves
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469694191
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469694207
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469683072
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469694214
Read an Excerpt
Scholars and critics have long understood the writing of nineteenth-century Black women as critiquing the figure of Topsy, an enslaved girl in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influential novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Many interpret the works of authors such as Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Wilson, and Hannah Crafts as rejecting Topsy and providing their own corrective representations of Black girls. Through close readings of these works, Allison S. Curseen argues otherwise. Instead, she contends, Black girls' physical movements emerge in their narratives not as rejections but as critical reenactments of Topsy.
Minor Moves draws on performance studies, literary studies, and childhood studies to offer provocative and incisive readings of Black girls' movements in nineteenth-century US literature. Curseen challenges readers to pay attention to “minor” movements that appear fleeting, inconsequential, and easy to overlook. Attending to these movements, Curseen argues, is crucial to imagining Black girl life amid the anti-Blackness embedded in American culture. These movements reveal modes of being that work to elude dominant structures and gesture to the abundance of Black life—to growing bodies, fugitive Black female desires, queer geographies, and unruly, childish plotting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Minor Moves about?
Scholars and critics have long understood the writing of nineteenth-century Black women as critiquing the figure of Topsy, an enslaved girl in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s influential novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Many interpret the works of authors such as Harriet Jacobs, Harriet Wilson, and Hannah Crafts as rejecting Topsy and providing their own corrective representations of Black girls. Through close readings of these works, Allison S. Curseen argues otherwise. Instead, she contends, Black girls' physical movements emerge in their narratives not as rejections but as critical reenactments of Topsy.
Minor Moves draws on performance studies, literary studies, and childhood studies to offer provocative and incisive readings of Black girls' movements in nineteenth-century US literature. Curseen challenges readers to pay attention to “minor” movements that appear fleeting, inconsequential, and easy to overlook. Attending to these movements, Curseen argues, is crucial to imagining Black girl life amid the anti-Blackness embedded in American culture. These movements reveal modes of being that work to elude dominant structures and gesture to the abundance of Black life—to growing bodies, fugitive Black female desires, queer geographies, and unruly, childish plotting.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Minor Moves?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Gender studies, gender groups > Gender studies: women and girls
Where can I read a sample of Minor Moves?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469694191
How long is Minor Moves and how many pages does it have?
Minor Moves has 244 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Minor Moves?
Allison S. Curseen
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Minor Moves is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469694191) and paperback(ISBN 9781469694207) and ebook(ISBN 9781469683072) and pdf(ISBN 9781469694214)
Where can I buy Minor Moves online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy Minor Moves?