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One outstanding feature of African American literature is that it presents racial tensions as well as identity problems of black people in America. Over the years, the terms used to describe these people have gone through some kind of evolution Negro, Black American, Afro-American and African American. This phenomenon manifests the identity complexities that bedevil people of the black race in the Diaspora. This book, therefore, provides a critical analysis of how Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison employ diverse narrative strategies to represent this identity crisis in their literary works. Three texts Black Boy, Native Son, and Invisible Man are analyzed because of the vivid way they portray these problems through the protagonists. Apart from advancing knowledge in African American literature, this book addresses vibrant questions on identity, as well as the undying relevance of Wright and Ellison, especially their influence on black literary tradition. Finally, by conflating fictional and autobiographical modes of writing the book demonstrates how these writers blend diverse elements of narration in their works.

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Samuel Ndogo, M.Phil, studied at Egerton and Moi Universities in Kenya. He teaches Literature from the African Diaspora, African Literature and Popular Culture at Moi University, Eldoret. Currently, Sam is pursuing PhD on Kenyan autobiography writings at Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies, University of Bayreuth, Germany.

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