4 ms·
If you read that 5 times over, maybe it's worth including more of the context of the phrase: > Mr. Roth was the last of the great white males: the triumvirate
by danso 8y ago
If you read that 5 times over, maybe it's worth including more of the context of the phrase:
> Mr. Roth was the last of the great white males: the triumvirate of writers — Saul Bellow and John Updike were the others — who towered over American letters in the second half of the 20th century.
Seems that "great white males" refers to a specific trio of writers -- all white men -- who were seen as the giants of American literature in a specific era in history.
What's your specific objection?
- benkarst 8y agoThat he used the term "great white males" when he should have used "Great Male Narcissists". Would a high school newspaper even make a mistake such as this? It's either sloppy, malicious, or both.
- gazarsgo 8y agoBoth terms seem equally redundant. Why stress?
- danso 8y agoSorry, I'm not following. Is "Great Male Narcissists" a popular pronoun in this context?
- benkarst 8y agohttps://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/12/02/call-for-papers-great-male-narcissists-panel-ala-2018/ https://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/12/02/call-for-papers-great-...
- danso 8y agoYou've linked to something associated with David Foster Wallace, but the author of the NYT obit is not David Foster Wallace.
- ams6110 8y agoIf someone referred to a "great black male" writer would you be equally offended? Or do you object to mention of his race? His sex? These details help paint a picture. They are not mentioned to offend.
- benkarst 8y agoIf you read the article, he is defining this group of 'great white males' to be three writers who the literary world actually refer to as 'The Great Narcissists'. https://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/12/02/call-for-papers-great-male-narcissists-panel-ala-2018/ https://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/12/02/call-for-papers-great-... He specifically substituted 'narcissist' with 'white male' as if he's using it as a synonym.
- Steko 8y agoHe's not defining it, he's using a term readers might be familiar with: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3562536/John-Updike-the-descent-of-man.html https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3562536/Joh... https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2017/08/28/michiko-kakutani-new-york-times-books/ https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2017/08/28/michiko-k...