Vol. 1 No. 3 1934 - page 5

4
PARTISAN REVIEW
fight against bourgeois literature. The varying backgrounds of revolu–
tionary 'writers and the diverse ways through which they come to Marxism
set the frame for this inner struggle. Moreover, since forms and methods
of writing do not drop like the gentle rain of heaven, but are slowly
evolved in creative practice conditioned by the developing social relations,
it is only natural that sharp differences of opinion should arise. To a
Marxist such differences are not personal and formal, but actually reflect
the stress of <:lass conflict. Thus, the development of revolutionary litera–
ture is not unilinear; its progress is a process unfolding through a series
of contradictions, through the struggle of opposed tendencies, and it is
the business of criticism· to help writers resolve these contradictions.
Unless criticism fulfils this task, the progress of revolutionary literature is
retarded and certain writers may even be shunted off their revolutionary
rails.
Thus far Marxian criticism in this country has not faced the problem
squarely, nor has it stated the diverse tendencies. The illusion has been
ailowed to spread that revolutionary writers constitute one happy family,
united in irreconcilable struggle against capitalism. To a considerable
extent, therefore, an atmosphere of empiricism has resulted, where writers
clutch at the nearest method at hand without conscious selection, unfor–
tified by criticism with the Marxian equipment necessary for coping with
the problems of creative method. Some incidental pieces of criticism have
helped to guide writers and readers, but on the whole no attempt has been
made to place such theoretical work in the center of our discussions.
N either have critics given writers adequate guidance in their quest
of realistic revolutionary themes. Many young writers have declared
themselves for Communism, and have joined the John Reed Clubs, but
with few exceptions, they have not shown as yet a sufficient understanding
of the meaning of such declarations in practice. What does the present
paucity of authentic revolutionary short stories prove? Most of our
writers have not grasped the fact that workers' struggles. cannot be written
about on the basis of inventiveness or a tourist's visit. The profile of
the Bolshevik is emerging in America, heroic class battles are developing,
new human types and relations are budding in and around the Commu–
nist Party; obviously, therefore, revolutionary fiction cannot be produced
by applying abstract Communist ideology to old familiar surroundings.
• By 'criticism' we do not mean the body of formal analysis alone. Throughout
this editorial most dour reftrences to 'critics' and 'criticism' are
me~nt
to include
the whole organizational and editorial leadrrship of
revolution~ry
literature, the
writer's critical attitude to himself and to others, as well as formal
analy~is.
1,2,3,4 6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,...65
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