Search This Blog

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Never Invisible in the Eyes of God

Never Invisible in the Eyes of God

by Keith Kareem Williams
On "Hump Day" on this blog I feature other authors for what I've dubbed, "Writer Wednesday" in an effort to showcase their work. Today is officially the first day of Black History month so I thought it was only right that I feature two authors who have had a huge impact on the way I write.



Zora Neale Hurston

Growing up, I had always been into comic books, science-fiction and fantasy novels. I preferred superhero mythology and dragons to my real life. I lost myself in these genres to escape my own environment. I never read urban novels because I was already living it, trapped deeper in it than even some of the people who were writing it. THAT was my reality. Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" changed everything for me. I was introduced to her writing by one of my college professors and I was drawn into the reality of her fiction. Even the title intrigued me and if not for the impact it had on me, "Water Flows Under Doors" might have been titled differently. I've made a conscious effort to make sure that all of my titles have a deeper meaning as well. ("Open Spaces," "Sometimes Brooklyn, Mostly Mars," and the book I'm currently working on, "Glass Goddesses, Concrete Walls.") In her writing, she touched on subjects that were socially taboo and received backlash from her contemporaries. Because of the dialect she used in the book, Richard Wright called it a "minstrel show" and said it was a setback to serious black literature.
I thank Ms. Hurston for writing the way that she did because of the social commentary and the messages she shared with us. There was something down-to-earth and unapologetic about her work. It gave me the courage to write the way that I do. She gave me the courage to make "Water Flows Under Doors" a bold piece of fiction that paints a picture of the environment I was trapped in. She is definitely on my Top 5 List of writers I would have loved to co-author a book with….if she would have had me. If she was still here, I would have sent her my writing to see what she thought of it.



Ralph Ellison

Ellison's voice in his novel, "Invisible Man" was so powerful that I have to credit him for the way I sometimes sprinkle heavy metaphors throughout my own stories. Years after reading this, the imagery and symbolism he used still remains imbedded in my brain. It chronicled the plight of a black man trying to find his place in the world of his time. I can only hope to someday write a novel that will chronicle my own in this modern world. Things have changed but some of the struggles are the same. There are novels that see their 15 minutes of fame, embraced and glorified by pop culture momentarily, for whatever that's worth. The issues addressed in Ellison's novel are still relevant today.






Ellison and Hurston are polar opposites in some ways in terms of how they viewed African American literature in their time. Ellison said that "Their Eyes Were Watching God" contained a "blight of calculated burlesque." We face similar issues and opposing views in our own modern renaissance of black literature. There's constant debate about classifications such as Street Lit, Urban Lit, Urban Contemporary or whatever the catchy classification of the week is. I don't believe in it and I think it's unnecessary. Good literature is good literature, regardless of the writing style, language used or subject matter. People seem to have been using the classifications to divide and also to imply that certain styles contain inferior writing. Nothing could be more false. Every genre of writing has its good, bad and ugly. Every good author has their own unique voice as well as their own way to tell their stories. The world is made up of diverse individuals with different tastes. No one should tell a writer how to deliver their feelings, thoughts and ideas to THEIR readers.

***Find all of my own novels here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0063K6JJC


11 comments:

  1. Awesome Keephy Keith. I call myself an avid reader, yet I have not read either of these titles. I must say they are being place on my books to read list thanks to this blog. Thank you much.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Minah. Both of these authors were writing during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1930's. Ellison is more political in a way. Their styles are different but both are considered classics.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Reem

    I love to read. I read anything that catches my attention or that peaks my interest even slightly and I agree with you literature is simply that. No one can put literature into a mold or divide it into separate bins. I believe most readers just want a great story told in a way that embodies the truth of its characters and plot. Certainly the degree to which an author can do this sets them apart, however we'd be amiss to only read based on genre. I was trying 'urban fiction' only to discover the 'urban' was the setting and not a specific type of story. I hate to think someone would miss out on awesome books because of the applied genre label

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ann, that was beautifully said and well put. I totally agree with you. I read all genres because I'm an avid reader myself. One of the benefits for me is that I have so many different writing styles that I've learned from. It helps to keep my literary voice unique.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Reem, you are a great writer and it's so refreshing to read everything you write because it is unique, each story/essay/etc. standing on its own merit, no pre-established formula. That's what keeps us readers coming back and asking for more. We never know where you will take us.
      With you every story is a journey we live between the pages you create.
      Stay true to your uniqueness!

      Delete
  5. I remember reading Their Eyes Were Watching God back in high school. I Loved that book Thanks for the info Keith

    ReplyDelete
  6. You're welcome Trice. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ann, thanks a lot. I appreciate that. I try my best to make sure that every story I write is different. I don't want to be known for....or get trapped in just one literary voice. I want people to buy the books with my name on it because they know that no matter the genre.....they will be getting an excellent read. Plus....I like to keep it fresh and full of surprises.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful piece! You have allowed me to understand and feel who you really are!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks Shunte. That's always been my goal in writing this blog. I'm glad you appreciate that.

    ReplyDelete