Sag Harbor: A novel
Encyclopedia
Sag Harbor: A Novel is a 2009 novel by award-winning African American author Colson Whitehead
.
Sag Harbor takes place in Sag Harbor, a small village in the exclusive Hampton Beaches of New York's Long Island
. The novel's main character is Benji, an African American teenager spending the summer in a black enclave of this predominately white and close-knit town along with his brother Reggie. Set in 1985, the novel balances themes of race, class, and commercial culture.
polos and salmon colored pants, the pair remeet all of their friends. This summer is to be filled with new haircuts, handshakes, and brand new curse words that all must not only be remembered but become part of life. Like most well-to-do kids at their family's beach houses during the summer, most of the teens in Sag Harbor go the entire summer with very little contact with their parents besides a weekend visit or two. The lack of authority allows for plenty of interesting run-ins. Benji constantly remakes himself to become the coolest in town. The competition to be the freshest teen on the block is like fighting for freedom, but really he is a wealthy black teen just coming of age.
and the success of other African Americans in the national spotlight, this story of a wealthy black teenager presents a story more similar to today's "black boys with beach houses" culture than could have been imagined in 1985. The paradox comes with the fact that it actually did happen in 1985 and this story provides a fictional account of that time. It is noted that the publication of Sag Harbor comes in the period known as the Post-Black Period, a time in which blacks are less noticed for their color and more for their public achievements.
and John Henry Days
are quite different works compared to Harbor as they explore an increasingly different style, whether it be science fiction or other fiction. Harbor, on the other hand could be considered a shadow of Whitehead's own life as a teenager, as he shared quite a similar experience to Benji during his youth. This allows for a much more vibrant context for the book since the author dealt with many of the same episodes the protagonist faces such as young love, young hate, as well as the trivial New Coke
event of 1985. The above section noted the arrival of this novel coming in today's Post-Black Period, which Whitehead ushers in with his story at Sag Harbor.
Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead is a New York-based novelist. He is best known as the author of the 2001 novel John Henry Days. In 2002, he received a MacArthur Fellowship.-Early life:...
.
Sag Harbor takes place in Sag Harbor, a small village in the exclusive Hampton Beaches of New York's Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The novel's main character is Benji, an African American teenager spending the summer in a black enclave of this predominately white and close-knit town along with his brother Reggie. Set in 1985, the novel balances themes of race, class, and commercial culture.
Plot
School is over and summer begins and the return to Sag Harbor is finally in full swing. Doors are unlocked, yards are mown, and kids are yelling in the street. Teenagers Benji and Reggie Cooper finally escape their majority white preparatory academy in Manhattan. Still clad in Brooks BrothersBrooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier chain in the United States. Founded in 1818 as a family business, the privately owned company is now owned by Retail Brand Alliance, also features clothing for women, and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City.-History:On April 7,...
polos and salmon colored pants, the pair remeet all of their friends. This summer is to be filled with new haircuts, handshakes, and brand new curse words that all must not only be remembered but become part of life. Like most well-to-do kids at their family's beach houses during the summer, most of the teens in Sag Harbor go the entire summer with very little contact with their parents besides a weekend visit or two. The lack of authority allows for plenty of interesting run-ins. Benji constantly remakes himself to become the coolest in town. The competition to be the freshest teen on the block is like fighting for freedom, but really he is a wealthy black teen just coming of age.
Characters in "Sag Harbor"
- Benji Cooper; Protagonist
- Reggie Cooper; Benji's Brother
- Various friends in Sag Harbor
- Clive, Marcus, Nick, Randy, and NP
Paradox
Sag Harbor has drawn a lot of attention because it speaks to a new generation of wealthy young blacks, which is explored in the NY Times Review." In the wake of the election of President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and the success of other African Americans in the national spotlight, this story of a wealthy black teenager presents a story more similar to today's "black boys with beach houses" culture than could have been imagined in 1985. The paradox comes with the fact that it actually did happen in 1985 and this story provides a fictional account of that time. It is noted that the publication of Sag Harbor comes in the period known as the Post-Black Period, a time in which blacks are less noticed for their color and more for their public achievements.
Change of Direction for Whitehead
It has been noted that Colson Whitehead wanted to take up a different path when he began writing Sag Harbor, the town he used to vacation in with his family. In a January WSJ article, Colson said "Having written a string of books that were heavy on the ideas and social critique," Mr. Whitehead says, "I wanted to try something more modest and personal." His previous books The IntuitionistThe Intuitionist
The Intuitionist is a 1999 novel by Colson Whitehead. It falls broadly into speculative fiction.The Intuitionist takes place in a city full of skyscrapers and other buildings requiring vertical transportation in the form of elevators. The time, never identified explicitly, is one when black people...
and John Henry Days
John Henry Days
John Henry Days is a 2001 Pulitzer Prize shortlisted novel by African American author Colson Whitehead.John Henry Days is a portrait of America...
are quite different works compared to Harbor as they explore an increasingly different style, whether it be science fiction or other fiction. Harbor, on the other hand could be considered a shadow of Whitehead's own life as a teenager, as he shared quite a similar experience to Benji during his youth. This allows for a much more vibrant context for the book since the author dealt with many of the same episodes the protagonist faces such as young love, young hate, as well as the trivial New Coke
New Coke
New Coke was the reformulation of Coca-Cola introduced in 1985 by The Coca-Cola Company to replace the original formula of its flagship soft drink, Coca-Cola...
event of 1985. The above section noted the arrival of this novel coming in today's Post-Black Period, which Whitehead ushers in with his story at Sag Harbor.
Reviews
Release details
- 2009, USA, Bantam Doubleday Dell ISBN 0-385-52765-9, Pub date 28 April 2009, hardback first edition