Attitudes toward Sex in American "High Culture"

Abstract

An analysis is presented of particular themes and attitudes in several works of fiction published in the United States in the last decade. There is a special emphasis on varieties of apocalyptic sexuality, with an attempt to relate this focus to broader questions of a political and social nature. Problems of literary style and characterization connected with the presentation of sexual styles and orientations are also dis cussed, and there is comparison of typical American and European literary customs with regard to the presentation of sex.