Aesthetics of Protest in Black American Literature: A Study of June Jordan’s Directed by Desires and Richard Wright's Native Son

Abstract

The introduction of jazz and blues in the United States of America influenced the works of Afro American writers both in content and form. These jazz and blues musical songs were used as mediums to protest against racism, class, gender and other inhuman practices meted on the blacks in the United States. Although these songs were not formally written, they became a source of inspiration for writers afterwards in terms of themes and style. The later writers who changed to formal literature borrowed from the themes and styles of these jazz and blues musicians. This paper is signicant because it has examined the thematic preoccupation of June Jordan’ Directed by Desires and Richard Wright's novel, Native Son. Findings show that both writers were thematically and stylistically influenced by the jazz and blues era of art in Af ro American Literature. Data for this essay was collected via qualitative research methodology, while the postcolonial theory was adopted for analysis. The paper submits that themes of racism, class, gender and protest were features of the jazz and blues era which later writers modelled their works after.