The need to assimilate: Searching for an american identity in Abraham Cahan's "The Rise of David Levinsky" and James Weldon Johnson's "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man"

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Focusing on themes of identity and assimilation, this seminar paper analyzes two novels from early 20th-century American minority literature. James Weldon Johnson's "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" and Abraham Cahan's "The Rise of David Levinsky" reflect the struggles of their protagonists from distinct backgrounds during a time of societal change. Despite their differences, both works explore the profound quest for an American identity and the sacrifices involved in the process of assimilation, highlighting the shared experiences of marginalized groups.