The Corvette in Literature and Culture

Book excerpt: As the original American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette has come to represent power, freedom and sexuality for more than half a century. Yet it also hints at personal identity and style, suggesting how effectively values and meaning are communicated through an object. Using various critical perspectives, this close analysis of this highly recognizable automobile finds diverse aspects of American culture revealed. Topics covered include the Corvette in literature; its ties to masculine identity, including homosexuality, as well as female sexuality; and the Corvette as artistic object, among others.