Genre
Fiction
Setting and Context
The book is set in the context of racial prejudice.
Narrator and Point of View
Third-person narrative
Tone and Mood
Buoyant, gritty, inexorable
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonist is Helga Crane.
Major Conflict
When Helga's mother dies, she takes up a teaching job but later resigns and relocates to Chicago to seek help from her uncle. Unfortunately, Helga is looked down upon because she is black.
Climax
The climax is when Helga finds herself lonely in the streets of Harlem and makes up her mind to convert to a local church. She marries the pastor and starts a marriage life. She gives birth to four children.
Foreshadowing
The abrupt end of the relationship between Helga and James foreshadowed her resignation as a teacher.
Understatement
The assumption by Helga that Mrs. Hayes-Rore is a hypocrite is an understatement. On the contrary, it is Mrs. Hayes who made Helga thrive while in Chicago.
Allusions
The story alludes to Helga's journey to finding her identity and happiness.
Imagery
The book contains rich imagery describing racial discrimination against blacks.
Paradox
The main paradox is that despite knowing that Mr. Robert Anderson is engaged to Ann Gray, she undertakes romance.
Parallelism
Uncle Peter's first impression of Helga when she visits Chicago parallels the American racial prejudice against black people.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
Love is personified because it drives Helga to do anything to get her way.
