Abstract

In spite of his demonstrated commitment to pragmatism, Ralph Ellison has received relatively limited attention within pragmatist scholarship. This chapter calls for pragmatist scholars to give greater consideration to Ellison’s work. In the interest of demonstrating Ellison’s pragmatist contributions, the chapter examines Ellison’s controversial 1963 public exchange with Irving Howe. In examining this exchange, specifically Ellison’s essay “The World and the Jug,” I argue that Ellison advocates a Deweyan sense of adjustment. Ellison’s articulation of adjustment possesses enduring value as a resource for navigating the complexities that emerge within diverse, pluralistic societies.