From Wiseguys to Wise Men: The Gangster and Italian American Masculinities - Softcover

Gardaphe, Fred

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415946484 ISBN 13: 9780415946483

Publisher: Routledge, 2006

Synopsis

The gangster, in the hands of the Italian American artist, becomes a telling figure in the tale of American race, gender, and ethnicity - a figure that reflects the autobiography of an immigrant group just as it reflects the fantasy of a native population.

From Wiseguys to Wise Men studies the figure of the gangster and explores its social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. By looking at the cultural icon of the gangster through the lens of gender, this book presents new insights into material that has been part of American culture for close to 100 years.

About this title

Synopsis:

"From Wiseguys to Wise Men" studies the cultural figure of the gangster, and explores its social function in the construction and projection of masculinity in the United States. From Francis Ford Coppola to Martin Scorsese, Gardaphe investigates the role of the gangster in their films, as well as the literature of such great Italian American writers as Mario Puzo and Gay Talese. Gardaphe shows how the gangster can be seen as a 'trickster' figure and how the gangster has served as that figure in American culture by showing what is and is not authentically American. It is not American to speak a language other than English. It is not American to use violence to secure business deals. It is not American to have both a mistress and a wife and family. By looking at the cultural icon of the gangster through the lens of gender and masculinity, "From Wiseguys to Wise Men" presents new insights into material that has been part of American culture for close to 100 years.

About the Author:

Fred L. Gardaphe directs the Italian-American Studies Program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is author of Italian Signs, American Streets: The Evolution of Italian American Narrative, Leaving Little Italy: Essaying Italian American Culture, Dagoes Read: Tradition and the Italian/American Writer, and Moustache Pete is Dead!: Italian/American Oral Tradition Preserved in Print.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0415946484
• ISBN 13: 9780415946483
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 264