“Critical Consciousness” and Pedagogy in Ernest Gaines’ “The Sky is Gray”

Category: louisiana literature

During my educational career, I sat in countless classroom regurgitating information back to the one at the head of the classroom who held my grades and my future in their hands. I felt, for the most part, disconnected from any of my experiences or reality. That does not mean that the information I learned did not relate to my life; it just means that … Read More “Critical Consciousness” and Pedagogy in Ernest Gaines’ “The Sky is Gray”

November 7, 2024 + african american literature, catherine carmier, ernest j gaines, louisiana literature, of love and dust

Ernest Gaines’ “Catherine Carmier” at 60

by Matthew Teutsch

This years marks some major anniversaries for some of my favorite writers. Earlier in the year I wrote about the 75th anniversary of Lillian Smith’s memoir Killers of the Dream, and she also has two other major anniversaries this year: the 80th of her debut novel Strange Fruit and the 70th of her next memoir The Journey. Along with these milestones, 2024 also marks the 60th anniversary of Ernest … Read More Ernest Gaines’ “Catherine Carmier” at 60

April 16, 2024 + african american literature, american literature, ernest j gaines, gothic literature, louisiana literature, of love and dust, southern literature

The Most Important Twentieth-Century American Novel

by Matthew Teutsch

Whenever I look I look at a list of the most important twentieth century American novels and novelists, the same names pop up again and again: William Faulkner, Harper Lee, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison. While each of these authors and their works are important, for various reasons, I do not see any of them as penning the quintessential twentieth … Read More The Most Important Twentieth-Century American Novel

October 13, 2023 + african american literature, ernest j gaines, Literature, louisiana literature, mass incarceration, of love and dust, thirteenth amendment

The Thirteenth Amendment and Incarceration

by Matthew Teutsch

When Marcus encounters Pauline on the road in the quarters in Ernest Gaines’ Of Love and Dust, he becomes angry at Pauline for ignoring his advances while she accepts Bonbon’s advances towards her. He asks, “What’s the matter with you? . . . I been working up there all night like a slave, like a dog — and all on ‘count of him. What’s the … Read More The Thirteenth Amendment and Incarceration

March 22, 2022 + ernest j gaines, jennifer morrison, louisiana, louisiana literature, loving, loving v. virginia, of love and dust, southern literature

Conversation with Jennifer Morrison about “Of Love and Dust”

by Matthew Teutsch

This semester, I finally decided to teach Ernest Gaines’ Of Love and Dust. For a number of years, I’ve cited Gaines’ 1967 novel as my favorite book, and as I reread it in preparation for this semester, I began to think about it as one of the most important works of the twentieth century American literature. On the surface, I know this sounds like … Read More Conversation with Jennifer Morrison about “Of Love and Dust”

Interminable Rambling

“Critical Consciousness” and Pedagogy in Ernest Gaines’ “The Sky is Gray”

Category: louisiana literature