Preface Introduction: The Black Female Body: Seeing, Believing, and Perpetuating Popular and Literary Images A Raisin in the Sun: The Strong Black Women as Acceptable Tyrant Strength and the Battle Ground of Slavery I: Even Parody: Ishmael Reed and Mammy Barracuda Strength and the Battle Ground of Slavery II: Survival Beyond Survival: The Price of Strength in Beloved Commanding the Universe: I. More Than Witch: Bambara's Minnie Ransom II. Tough Enough to Kill, Tough Enough to Transcend Death: J. California Cooper's Clora Strength as Disease Bordering on Evil: Dorothy West's Cleo Judson The Stubbornness of Tradition: I. Do What Big Mama Sez: Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying II. New Territory, No Change: Pear; Cleage's Flyin' West Balance? Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower Conclusion Can this Mold be Broken? Preface * Introduction: The Black Female Body: Seeing, Believing, and Perpetuating Popular and Literary Images * A Raisin in the Sun : The Strong Black Women as Acceptable Tyrant * Strength and the Battle Ground of Slavery I * Even Parody: Ishmael Reed and Mammy Barracuda * Strength and the Battle Ground of Slavery II * Survival Beyond Survival: The Price of Strength in Beloved * Commanding the Universe * More Than Witch: Bambara's Minnie Ransom * Tough Enough to Kill, Tough Enough to Transcend Death: J.

California Cooper's Clora * Strength as Disease Bordering on Evil * Dorothy West's Cleo Judson * The Stubbornness of Tradition * Do What Big Mama Sez: Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson Before Dying * New Territory, No Change: Pear; Cleage's Flyin' West * Balance?: Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower * Conclusion: Can this Mold be Broken?.