Stafford introduces the rich interpretive possibilities in a contextual analysis of literature. He finds in Moby Dick, The Wings of the Dove, and Absalom, Absalom! three symbolic Americas linked through images of whiteness that are collectively prophetic. Three novels of the 1920s (by Faulkner, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald) are linked by themes of innocence; three of the 1970s (by Bellows, Malamud, and Updike), by black-white pairs. His flexible method also examines film. Originally published in 1981. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.