[Review of] John R. Cooley. Savages and Naturals: Black Portraits by While Writers in Modern American Literature

John R. Cooley\u27s Savages and Naturals is a critical analysis of the ways in which modern American writers have depicted black characters. His thesis, briefly stated, is that in their fiction white American writers portray black Americans as primitives-as savages or as naturals. Savages are those who are perceived as intrinsically evil and who consequently represent a threat to civilized society. Naturals are those who are simple, essentially rustic folk (the term is only roughly synonymous to the traditional noble savage )