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One author who may come to represent the early 21st century in American literature is Jesmyn Ward. Her powerful storytelling, rooted in the American South, has tackled complex themes such as race, poverty, family, and societal injustice. Her novels, including "Salvage the Bones" and "Sing, Unburied, Sing," have received critical acclaim and numerous awards, making her a prominent voice in contemporary literature. Ward's ability to explore the human condition and depict the challenges faced by marginalized communities in the South resonates deeply with the social and cultural issues of our time, solidifying her potential as a defining literary figure of this era.
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