Genre
A novel, satire
Setting and Context
The events of the story take place in New York and Atlanta in 1933-1934.
Narrator and Point of View
The events of the story are told from the third point of view by an omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The tone is ironic, and the mood is equally fascinating and frightening.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Max Disher (Matthew Fisher) is the protagonist of the story. Racism, ignorance, and prejudices are the antagonists of the story.
Major Conflict
The major conflict is person vs. self. Black people go against their principles when they change their skin color. Another conflict is person vs. person. People are unable to build a society based on the principles of democracy, for they are blinded with prejudices.
Climax
Max’s decision to tell Helen the truth is the climax of the story. They leave the country just in time.
Foreshadowing
"He’s just come back and Times claims he’s announced a sure way to turn darkies white."
This sentence foreshadows the events of the novel. It is apparent that Max and many other black people are going to try their luck and change their skin color.
Understatement
"There’ll be no difficulties whatever."
Dr. Crookman believes that the task of turning thousands of black babies into white babies is going to be easy.
Allusions
The novel alludes to World War I, the American Civil War, and Prohibition.
Imagery
see imagery section
Paradox
"Gee, but white folks are funny. They didn’t want black folks’ game and yet they were always frequenting Negro resorts."
Parallelism
"In and out among the tables danced the waiters."
Metonymy and Synecdoche
"I’d take another skirt!" (A skirt is metonymy which means a woman).
Personification
"When the din had subsided, the lights went low and the orchestra moaned the weary blues."
