Jean Toomer’s Magazine Auras

Abstract

Drawing on George Bornstein’s idea of a “textual aura”, this essay proposes a distinct instantiation of this effect arising from the particular circumstances of periodical publication and reception, a magazine aura. Jean Toomer’s publications in a range of modernist magazines illustrate the manifestations of a magazine aura, with particular attention to Toomer’s appearances in Broom and The Little Review.