Part 1, The Seer and the Seen, Section 9 Summary and Analysis

"The Art of Fiction: An Interview" (published 1955). The focus of this interview is on the author's novel Invisible Man. Before specific discussions of the novel begin, the interview references important elements in the author's life, previously referred to in other essays - for example, the seminal importance of both Ernest Hemingway (in terms of style and attack) and T.S Eliot's The Waste Land (for use of language, rhythm, and inspiration) in the author's work. When the question is raised of whether it's possible for the so-called "Negro writer" to be truly objective, the author responds by suggesting that for Negro writers who tend (he says) to be writing for a white audience, the writing is often a plea to be considered as humanity. He proposes that an alternative...