If Beale Street Could Talk Essay Questions

What does the sculpture Fonny gives to Sharon symbolize?

Fonny's art symbolizes his own self-liberation from the oppressive society he lives in, and the sculpture is a manifestation of that self-liberation. The sculpture is of a standing man, with one hand on his forehead and one hand covering his privates. Because of its positioning, the sculpture communicates masculinity as well as self-protection or weakness. The fact that Fonny gives the sculpture to Sharon communicates his acceptance into the Rivers clan as part of the family. Sharon displays the sculpture proudly, giving it its own table in the living room.

What importance does location hold for the characters in the novel?

If Beale Street Could Talk takes place both in Harlem and in the downtown area of Manhattan. The characters navigate these very different social landscapes throughout the novel and face hardship and conflict in both regions. While Harlem may be more like home, Fonny makes the choice to move downtown seeking to escape the Projects. Yet this choice has dire consequences as he is later accused of rape by another downtown inhabitant. Despite her fond childhood excursions downtown, Tish repeatedly associates the area with fear and danger.

How does religion complicate the relations of characters in this work?

Spirituality, and Christianity in particular, is central to the African American community in Baldwin's novel. Sunday mornings bring Harlem alive and the concept of salvation is central to the beliefs of characters like Mrs. Hunt. Yet, Christianity does not automatically unite all characters but also serves as grounds for judgment and tension as evidenced by the division between the religious practices of Tish and Fonny's families.

How does colorism, a prejudice against people with darker skin within the black community, affect the relationship between characters like Fonny, Tish, and Mrs. Hunt?

Throughout the novel, Mrs. Hunt and her daughters are consistently described as light-skinned, beautiful women and hold great social capital within the black community in Harlem. Fonny, on the other hand, stands in contrast to this conventional beauty, taking after his darker father. On multiple occasions, his mother is embarrassed or judgmental of his hair and skin and the hostility which she affords him throughout the novel is linked to this colorism. This creates palpable tensions within the family regarding worth, cleanliness, and belonging. Fonny eventually allies much more with Tish and her family who are darker skinned like him.

What role does cross-ethnic solidarity, or the lack thereof, play in the lives of the characters in If Beale Street Could Talk?

Cross-ethnic solidarity refers to the allying of different ethnic groups, usually those which experience some sort of oppression by the white hegemony, in a common goal or purpose. The central tension of the novel lies in the false accusation of a Puerto Rican woman against a Black man. Harlem, and New York more generally, is home to many diverse groups of people: Blacks, Jews, Latinos, and Italians, among others, and Baldwin does not shy away from showing where and when tensions rise between these groups. There are instances in which specific characters find inspiration in another's struggles, and there are also instances in which these communities clash rather than unite.