The Sellout (novel)

The Sellout: A Novel
First edition cover
AuthorPaul Beatty
IllustratorMatt Buck
Cover artistRodrigo Corral
LanguageEnglish
GenreFiction
PublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date
March 3, 2015
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardback)
Pages304 pp.
ISBN978-0374260507

The Sellout is a 2015 novel by Paul Beatty published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux,[1] and in the UK by Oneworld Publications in 2016. The novel takes place in and around Los Angeles, California, and muses about the state of racial relations in the U.S. today.[2][3][4] In October 2016, it won the Booker Prize, making Beatty the first US writer to win that award.[5][6]

Background

Published in 2015, The Sellout was the latest in Paul Beatty's body of work that explores racial identity in the United States and the pervasive historical effects of racism. Beatty's other notable works include The White Boy Shuffle, Tuff, and Slumberland.[7] Beatty has stated his motivation for writing the novel was that "[he] was broke".[3] Although The Sellout was not written in response to any specific event, the novel was released during a time of racial reckoning surrounding multiple instances of police brutality and the Ferguson, Missouri protests.[8]

Plot summary

The narrator and most of the characters are African-Americans in an urban farming area in the fictional town of Dickens, California. The story begins with the narrator (referred to as either "me" or "Bonbon") standing trial before the Supreme Court for crimes related to his attempt to restore slavery and segregation in his hometown of Dickens, an "agrarian ghetto" on the outskirts of Los Angeles, California.[9][10] Sitting before the court, Bonbon starts to reflect on what led up to this moment and recounts his upbringing. Bonbon had a tenuous relationship with his father, an unorthodox sociologist who performed numerous traumatizing social experiments on him as a child and held lofty expectations for Bonbon to become a respected community leader in Dickens.[11] A few years before the Supreme Court case, Bonbon's father is murdered by the police, after which Bonbon struggles to find his identity and a purpose in life.[12] At first, Bonbon is content to withdraw from the community and continue his agricultural endeavors of growing artisanal watermelons and marijuana without his father’s judgement.[13]

One day, however, the town of Dickens spontaneously disappears from the map and becomes unincorporated, a change that Bonbon attributes to Dickens' undesirable socioeconomic and racial demographics.[13] Bonbon sets out to restore Dickens' existence through any means possible.[14] Bonbon enlists the help of Hominy Jenkins, an old man and former child actor, to paint provocative road signs and boundary lines that draw attention to Dickens’ existence.[15] After those attempts are fruitless, Bonbon continues a step further and attempts to reinstitute both slavery and segregation in Dickens and bring back what he believes to be a unifying power structure in the town. He first attempts to re-segregate a public bus driven by his ex-girlfriend by posting "white-only signs" in the front of the bus. He later tries to open an all-white school next to the local high school.[15] Meanwhile, Hominy offers to become Bonbon's slave, to which a reluctant Bonbon eventually agrees. As the absurdity of Bonbon's actions are noticed on a wider scale, Hominy causes a large accident that ultimately leads to the Supreme Court case.[16]

Genre

The Sellout is a fictitious, satirical novel about racial relations in the U.S.[17] Beatty utilizes stereotypes and parody throughout the story to inject social commentary.[18] Beatty's other works are mostly humorous as well, but Beatty has claimed that he does not view himself as a satirical author.[17]

Analysis

Beatty in 2016, holding a copy of The Sellout.

The Sellout has been seen by many as a critique of the idea that American society is post-racial.[19] According to literary scholar Henry Ivry, the satirical devices used throughout the book bring attention to the current issues of systemic racism and mock the conventional approaches that American society has taken to remedy these issues.[19] Similarly, University of Albany professor Steven Delmagori notes that the pointed comedy in the novel establishes white privilege as a central issue facing American society, but Beatty simultaneously pokes fun at the overly individualistic view that has dominated the discourse around white privilege.[20] Another scholar, Judit Friedrich, stipulates that Beatty's writing may seem taboo at first, but his flippant treatment of serious racial issues -- from segregation to economic inequality -- call out society's unwillingness to discuss and substantively address these issues.[21]

Reception

The novel was well received by critics, who praised its humor, ostensibly satirical content, and rich social commentary.[22][23][24] According to Book Marks the book received "rave" reviews based on twelve critic reviews, with eight being "rave" and four being "positive".[25] On Bookmarks May/April 2015 issue, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a (4.0 out of 5) based on critic reviews with a critical summary saying, "This comic achievement, satirical, profane, and profound, marks Beatty as "today's Twain" (San Francisco Chronicle)".[26][27]

In The Guardian, Elisabeth Donnelly described it as "a masterful work that establishes Beatty as the funniest writer in America",[28] while reviewer Reni Eddo-Lodge called it a "whirlwind of a satire", going on to say: "Everything about The Sellout's plot is contradictory. The devices are real enough to be believable, yet surreal enough to raise your eyebrows."[29] The HuffPost concluded: "The Sellout is a hilarious, pop-culture-packed satire about race in America. Beatty writes energetically, providing insight as often as he elicits laughs."[24] In Literary Review, Jude Cook described Beatty's narrator Me as irresistible, "a hip, irreverent, salty and above all militant voice," whose "absurdist, carnivalesque rants belie the penetrating social analysis beneath."[30]

Historian Amanda Foreman, chair of the judges of the Man Booker prize, said:

"The Sellout is one of those very rare books that is able to take satire, which is in itself a very difficult subject and not always done well, and it plunges into the heart of contemporary American society and, with absolutely savage wit, of the kind I haven't seen since Swift or Twain, both manages to eviscerate every social taboo and politically correct, nuanced, every sacred cow, and while both making us laugh, making us wince. It is both funny and painful at the same time and it is really a novel of our times."[31]

Beatty has indicated surprise that critics refer to the novel as a comic one, indicating his belief that discussing the comic aspects of the novel prevents critics from having to discuss its more serious themes.[32]

Awards and honors

The Sellout was the first American book to win the prestigious Booker prize, an award traditionally reserved for English-language literature not from the United States.[35] The contest began considering American literature in 2013.[36] In 2024, the New York Times named The Sellout the 17th best book of the 21st century.[37]

Publication

The Sellout was published in 2015 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux[1] and UK publishing house Oneworld Publications.

References

  1. ^ a b Garner, Dwight (February 26, 2015). "Review: 'The Sellout,' Paul Beatty's Biting Satire on Race in America". The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  2. ^ Schaub, Michael (March 2, 2015). "'The Sellout' Is A Scorchingly Funny Satire On 'Post-Racial' America". NPR. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Reidy, Darren (24 March 2015). "Paul Beatty on Race, Violence and His Scathing New Novel 'The Sellout'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  4. ^ Garner, Dwight (December 10, 2015). "The Top Books of 2015". The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  5. ^ Dean, Michelle (October 25, 2016). "How Paul Beatty's win shakes the Jonathan Franzen-loving US literati". The Guardian. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  6. ^ Master, Tim, "Man Booker Prize: Paul Beatty becomes first US winner for The Sellout", BBC News, October 26, 2016.
  7. ^ Alter, Alexandra. "Paul Beatty Wins Man Booker Prize with 'the Sellout'." The New York Times, Oct 26, 2016.
  8. ^ Wolfe, Alexandra. "Novelist Paul Beatty on Writing and Satire; Paul Beatty on His Latest Book, 'the Sellout,' which Tackles Slavery and Segregation with Satire, and Why He Shuns Cellphones." Wall Street Journal (Online), May 22, 2015.
  9. ^ Young, Kevin. "Paul Beatty's 'The Sellout'."New York Times (Online), Apr 09, 2015.
  10. ^ "Man Booker Prize: Paul Beatty Becomes First US Winner for the Sellout." Armenpress News Agency, Oct 26, 2016.
  11. ^ Williams, John. "Paul Beatty, Author of 'the Sellout,' on Finding Humor in Issues of Race." Mar 02, 2015.
  12. ^ "A Swiftian Hero: Paul Beatty's Fiction." The Economist (Online), Oct 26, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Delmagori, Steven. "Super Deluxe Whiteness: Privilege Critique in Paul Beatty's the Sellout." Symploke, vol. 26, no. 1-2, 2018, pp. 417.
  14. ^ Friedrich, Judit. "Levels of Discomfort: Paul Beatty's the Sellout as the First American Novel to Win the Man Booker Prize." HJEAS : Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2019, pp. 267-278,471,479.
  15. ^ a b Maus, Derek C. "The Sellout by Paul Beatty (Review)." Callaloo, vol. 39, no. 4, 2016, pp. 954-957.
  16. ^ Ivry, Henry. "Unmitigated Blackness: Paul Beatty's Transscalar Critique." Elh, vol. 87, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1133-1162.
  17. ^ a b Alter, Alexandra. "Paul Beatty Wins Man Booker Prize with 'the Sellout'." The New York Times, Oct 26, 2016.
  18. ^ Delmagori, Steven. "Super Deluxe Whiteness: Privilege Critique in Paul Beatty's the Sellout." Symploke, vol. 26, no. 1-2, 2018, pp. 417.
  19. ^ a b Ivry, Henry. "Unmitigated Blackness: Paul Beatty's Transscalar Critique." Elh, vol. 87, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1133-1162.
  20. ^ Delmagori, Steven. "Super Deluxe Whiteness: Privilege Critique in Paul Beatty's the Sellout." Symploke, vol. 26, no. 1-2, 2018, pp. 417.
  21. ^ Friedrich, Judit. "Levels of Discomfort: Paul Beatty's the Sellout as the First American Novel to Win the Man Booker Prize." HJEAS : Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2019, pp. 267-278,471,479.
  22. ^ Delmagori, Steven. "Super Deluxe Whiteness: Privilege Critique in Paul Beatty's the Sellout." Symploke, vol. 26, no. 1-2, 2018, pp. 417.
  23. ^ Colter Walls, Seth (March 4, 2015). "The Sellout by Paul Beatty review – a galvanizing satire of post-racial America". The Guardian. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  24. ^ a b Crum, Maddie (March 4, 2015). "The Bottom Line: 'The Sellout' By Paul Beatty". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  25. ^ "The Sellout". Book Marks. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  26. ^ "The Sellout". Bookmarks. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  27. ^ "The Sellout". Bibliosurf (in French). 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  28. ^ Donnelly, Elisabeth, "Paul Beatty on writing, humor and race: 'There are very few books that are funny'", The Guardian, March 10, 2015.
  29. ^ Eddo-Lodge, Reni, "The Sellout by Paul Beatty review – a whirlwind satire about racial identity", The Guardian, May 11, 2016.
  30. ^ Cook, Jude, "All About Me", Literary Review, September 29, 2016.
  31. ^ Bullen, James, "Man Booker Prize 2016: US author Paul Beatty wins with The Sellout", Evening Standard, October 25, 2016.
  32. ^ May, Chris (May 7, 2015). "Our Thing: An Interview with Paul Beatty". The Paris Review. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  33. ^ Alter, Alexandra (March 17, 2016). "'The Sellout' Wins National Book Critics Circle's Fiction Award". The New York Times. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  34. ^ Alice (September 13, 2016). "Man Booker Prize announces 2016 shortlist". Man Booker. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  35. ^ Friedrich, Judit. "Levels of Discomfort: Paul Beatty's the Sellout as the First American Novel to Win the Man Booker Prize." HJEAS : Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, 2019, pp. 267-278,471,479.
  36. ^ Katie Allen (September 18, 2013). "Man Booker Prize reveals criteria changes". Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  37. ^ "The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century". The New York Times. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

Read other articles:

Keamanan informasi

Sistem keamanan informasi yang digambarkan dalam tiga serangkai yang meliputi prinsip (keterjagaan, ketersediaan dan integritas), media ( komunikasi, perangkat lunak, perangkat keras) dan cakupan keamanan (keamanan personal, keamanan fisik dan keamanan organisasi). Keamanan informasi adalah perlindungan terhadap segala jenis sumber daya informasi dari penyalahgunaan pihak yang tak berwenang mengelolanya.[1] Tujuan pembuatan sistem keamanan informasi adalah mencegah penyalahgunaan info...

 

 

Stephen Bachiler

English clergyman Stephen BachilerBorn1561 (1561)Died1656 (aged 94–95)near London, EnglandNationalityEnglishOccupationClergymanKnown forEstablishing settlements in New HampshireSpouse(s)Ann Bates (m. circa 1590–before 1623); Christian Weare (m. 1623–before 1627); Helena Mason (m.1627)Children6RelativesChristopher Hussey (son in law) Stephen Bachiler (About 1561 – 28 October 1656) was an English clergyman who was an early proponent of the separation of church and sta...

 

 

Aterosklerosis

Artikel ini memberikan informasi dasar tentang topik kesehatan. Informasi dalam artikel ini hanya boleh digunakan untuk penjelasan ilmiah; bukan untuk diagnosis diri dan tidak dapat menggantikan diagnosis medis. Wikipedia tidak memberikan konsultasi medis. Jika Anda perlu bantuan atau hendak berobat, berkonsultasilah dengan tenaga kesehatan profesional. Diagram aterosklerosis. Aterosklerosis adalah radang pada pembuluh darah manusia yang disebabkan penumpukan plak ateromatus. Pemahaman hingga...

Kawasan Punclut

Punclut yang merupakan singkatan dari Puncak Ciumbuleuit adalah salah satu kawasan yang terletak di sebelah utara Kota Bandung.[1] Kawasan ini terletak 7 kilometer dari pusat kota Bandung.[1] Pada akhir pekan, kawasan Punclut dipenuhi oleh wisatawan yang datang untuk berwisata dan menikmati pemandangan Kota Bandung.[1] Banyak warga maupun wisatawan yang menggunakan kawasan ini untuk melakukan jalan atau olahraga pagi setiap hari Minggu.[1] Lokasi Kawasan Punclu...

 

 

Medo de sentir

Medo de sentir Chanson de Elisa Silva auConcours Eurovision de la chanson 2020 Sortie 2020 Langue Anglais Auteur-compositeur Marta Carvalho Chansons représentant le Portugal au Concours Eurovision de la chanson Telemóveis(2019) Love Is on My Side(2021)modifier Medo de sentir Single de Elisa Silva Durée 2:51 Format Téléchargement numérique Auteur-compositeur Marta Carvalho Label Universal Music Portugal modifier Medo de sentir est une chanson de la chanteuse portugaise Elisa S...

 

 

Pengeboman kedutaan besar Tiongkok di Beograd oleh NATO

Pengeboman kedutaan besar Tiongkok di Beograd oleh NATOGedung kedutaan pada tahun 2009, kemudian dihancurkan pada tahun 2011LokasiBeograd, Serbia, YugoslaviaKoordinat44°46′58″N 20°27′15″E / 44.78278°N 20.45417°E / 44.78278; 20.45417Koordinat: 44°46′58″N 20°27′15″E / 44.78278°N 20.45417°E / 44.78278; 20.45417Tanggal7 Mei 1999Jenis seranganPengeboman udaraKorban tewas3 jurnalis TionghoaKorban luka20PelakuAmerika Serikat Pen...

Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis)

Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint-Denis. Saint-Denis La Basilique Saint-Denis. Blason Logo Administration Pays France Région Île-de-France Département Seine-Saint-Denis(sous-préfecture) Arrondissement Saint-Denis(chef-lieu) Intercommunalité Métropole du Grand ParisEPT Plaine Commune(siège) Maire Mandat Mathieu Hanotin (PS) 2020-2026 Code postal 93200, 93210 Code commune 93066 Démographie Gentilé Dionysiens Populationmunicipale 113 942 hab. (2021 ) Densité 9 219...

 

 

Evanston, Wyoming

City in Wyoming, United StatesEvanston, WyomingCityPanorama of downtown Evanston along Front Street FlagMotto(s): Fresh air, freedom and fun[1]Location of Evanston in Uinta County, Wyoming.EvanstonLocation in the United StatesShow map of WyomingEvanstonEvanston (the United States)Show map of the United StatesCoordinates: 41°15′48″N 110°57′53″W / 41.26333°N 110.96472°W / 41.26333; -110.96472CountryUnited StatesState WyomingCountyUintaGover...

 

 

Kanada pada Olimpiade

Kanada padaOlimpiadeKode IOCCANKONKpomite Olimpiade KanadaSitus webwww.olympic.ca (dalam bahasa Inggris)Medali 71 108 147 Total 326 Penampilan Musim Panas1900190419081912192019241928193219361948195219561960196419681972197619801984198819921996200020042008201220162020Penampilan Musim Dingin192419281932193619481952195619601964196819721976198019841988199219941998200220062010201420182022Penampilan terkait lainnyaPesta Olahraga Interkala 1906 Kanada telah mengirim para atlet ke setia...

Difemerine

Chemical compound DifemerineClinical dataAHFS/Drugs.comInternational Drug NamesATC codeA03AA09 (WHO) Identifiers IUPAC name 2-(Dimethylamino)-2-methylpropyl 2-hydroxy-2,2-diphenylacetate CAS Number80387-96-8PubChem CID165124ChemSpider10662416UNII843C4UPZ2FKEGGD07079 YChEMBLChEMBL2106534Chemical and physical dataFormulaC20H25NO3Molar mass327.424 g·mol−13D model (JSmol)Interactive image SMILES OC(C(=O)OC(C)(C)CN(C)C)(c1ccccc1)c2ccccc2 InChI InChI=1S/C20H25NO3/c1-19(2,15-2...

 

 

Babar Azam

Pakistani cricketer Babar AzamSIAzam in 2023Personal informationFull nameMohammad Babar AzamBorn (1994-10-15) 15 October 1994 (age 29)Walled City, Lahore, Punjab, PakistanNicknameBobby[1]Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[2]BattingRight-handedBowlingRight-arm off breakRoleBatterRelationsKamran Akmal (cousin)Umar Akmal (cousin)Adnan Akmal (cousin)International information National sidePakistan (2015–present)Test debut (cap 222)13 October 2016 v&#...

 

 

美国众议院

此條目需要补充更多来源。 (2021年7月4日)请协助補充多方面可靠来源以改善这篇条目，无法查证的内容可能會因為异议提出而被移除。致使用者：请搜索一下条目的标题（来源搜索：美国众议院 — 网页、新闻、书籍、学术、图像），以检查网络上是否存在该主题的更多可靠来源（判定指引）。 美國眾議院 United States House of Representatives第118届美国国会众议院徽章 众议院旗...

Stasiun Shin-Toride

Stasiun Shin-Toride新取手駅Stasiun Shin-Toride pada Mei 2008LokasiShin-Toride 1-1-1, Toride-shi, Ibaraki-ken 302-0031JepangKoordinat35°55′03″N 140°02′31″E / 35.9176°N 140.0419°E / 35.9176; 140.0419Koordinat: 35°55′03″N 140°02′31″E / 35.9176°N 140.0419°E / 35.9176; 140.0419OperatorKantō RailwayJalur■ Jōsō LineLetak3.4 km dari TorideJumlah peron1 peron pulauInformasi lainStatusTanpa stafSitus webSitus web resmiSeja...

 

 

FC Cournon-d'Auvergne

French football club Football clubCournon-d'AuvergneFull nameFootball Club de Cournon d'AuvergneFounded1919GroundStade Joseph Gardet,Cournon-d'AuvergneCapacity437ChairmanBaptiste GamezManagerGuy LemassonLeagueRegional 1 Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes2016-17CFA 2 Group F, 14th (relegated) Home colours Football Club de Cournon-d'Auvergne is a French association football club founded in 1919. They are based in the town of Cournon-d'Auvergne and their home stadium is the Stade Joseph Gardet, which has a c...

 

 

Seto Dharti

2012 Nepali Novel Seto Dharti AuthorAmar NeupaneOriginal titleसेतो धरतीCover artist Chirag Wangdel (Picture artist) Suwarna Humagain (Design) CountryNepalLanguageNepaliGenreFictionPublisherFineprints BooksPublication dateMarch 2012Media typePrintPages373AwardsMadan PuraskarISBN978-9937-8563-4-8OCLC1085939500Preceded byPaniko Gham Followed byKarodaun Kasturi  Seto Dharti (Nepali: सेतो धरती, lit. 'White earth') is ...

In Custody (film)

1993 filmIn Custody / MuhafizDirected byIsmail MerchantWritten byAnita DesaiShahrukh HusainBased onIn Custodyby Anita DesaiProduced byWahid ChowhanPaul Bradley (executive)Donald Rosenfeld (executive)Starring Shashi Kapoor Shabana Azmi Om Puri Sushma Seth Neena Gupta Tinnu Anand Prayag Raj Ajay Sahni Maza Bi CinematographyLarry PizerEdited byRoberto SilviMusic byZakir HussainUstad Sultan KhanDistributed bySony Pictures ClassicsRelease dates October 1993 (1993-10) (Tokyo Film Fes...

 

 

America's Talking

American cable television channel This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: America's Talking – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Television channel America's TalkingCountryUnited StatesBroadcast areaUnited StatesHeadquartersFort Lee...

 

 

Peter Gauweiler

German politician (born 1949) Peter GauweilerPersonal detailsBorn (1949-06-22) 22 June 1949 (age 74)Munich, Bavaria, West Germany(now Germany)CitizenshipGermanNationality GermanyPolitical partyCSUSpouseEva GauweilerChildrenFourAlma materLudwig Maximilian University of MunichFree University of BerlinOccupationPoliticianProfessionLawyer Peter Gauweiler (born 22 June 1949) is a German lawyer and politician of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) who served as a member of the German B...

Tipi

Sebuah tipi Oglala Lakota, 1891. Interior tipi Suku Crow tahun 1907, menunjukkan tiang dan kulit luar di bagian atas, lapisan dalam dan seprai. Tali pengikat diikat pada tiang kayu di bagian bawah foto. Pakaian digantung pada tali yang diikat di antara dua ujung tiang. Tipi (atau ditulis juga teepee atau tepee[1]) adalah sebuah tenda, yang secara tradisional terbuat dari kulit binatang yang di pasang pada tiang-tiang kayu. Tipi modern biasanya memiliki penutup dari kanvas.[2] ...

 

 

ريان كروذر

هذه المقالة يتيمة إذ تصل إليها مقالات أخرى قليلة جدًا. فضلًا، ساعد بإضافة وصلة إليها في مقالات متعلقة بها. (يونيو 2019) ريان كروذر   معلومات شخصية الميلاد 17 سبتمبر 1988 (36 سنة)  ستوكبورت  الطول 5 قدم 11 بوصة (1.80 م) مركز اللعب وسط الجنسية المملكة المتحدة  معلومات الن...