Includes bibliographical references (pages 163-190).

This volume contains the proceedings of a conference held at Corvallis, Oregon, in 1976. The papers focus on Malamud's place in American literature, and examine the most noteworthy elements of his art. The contributors place him within the larger picture of modern fiction; compare Malamud and Dreiser and the worlds in which their characters live, and how they struggle with the cultural and physical environments; and discuss the essence of Jewishness in his writings. Other topics include the influence of medieval literature on Malamud's fictional motifs and methods; and the broad range of techniques by which his characters can see themselves, sometimes revealing their own inner nature, and sometimes obscuring or distorting it. ISBN 81-85336-73-5 (pbk.) (Available for sale in India at Rs. 50.00. Enquire at your local bookstore).