Renaissance Woman: The Works and Critical Reception of Dorothy West

Dorothy West’s literary career spanned seven decades, beginning with the publication of "The Typewriter" in 1926. West published her second novel,

The Wedding, in 1995. The following year, the author published a collection of short stories and non-fiction, entitled The Richer, the Poorer. However, in discussions of American modernism and African-American women’s literature, Dorothy West is excluded.

The focus of this project will be to explore the themes in West’s two novels,

The Living Is Easy and The Wedding. I also analyze several of her short stories and a non-fiction piece. In the last chapter of this thesis, I analyze and critique West’s critical reception. As mentioned before, West is almost completely excluded from discussions on American modernism and often from discussions of African American women’s literature. I reveal how West’s unique vision of race, class, and gender brings a distinctive voice to black women’s literature. Also, I reveal how West’s literature can be compared favorably to that of other modernist authors.