What is discovered in the postblack wasteland? Black agency and identity in Colson Whitehead’s "Zone one"

This article explicates the disparate affectsdisplayed by the African American protagonist Mark Spitz within the particular spaces of Colson Whitehead’s 2012 novel Zone One. Why are these affects felt and what effect do these shifting affects have on his agency and identity? The article selects three prominent spaces in Zone Oneand inspects the affective identities produced in these spaces with an emphasis on how they influence the agency of Mark Spitz. It will be argued that the fluctuations in Mark Spitz’s agency throughout his journey are linked/displayed through his abilities (or lack thereof) to act within specific situations. This action/inaction is fuelled by certain affects brought about by some racialized aspect within the space. Furthermore, this will be linked to Colson Whitehead’s own ideological perspectives as it pertained to African American literature and African American identity at the time of Zone One’s writing.