Middle class life
For a long while, Lutie was a housewife in an established household. As a black family, there were obvious disadvantages that still pertained to them, but still, we know from Lutie's fashion, her behavior, and her attitudes what her life was like in the middle class. But, Lutie adjusts very realistically and quickly at that; she has not been spoiled by privilege.
Imagery of sexual violence
This novel includes explicit scenes describing precisely the behaviors of rape, which Junto tries and which another man tries whom Lutie kills in the final act. Lutie's awareness of their insidious interests begins early, as soon as she meets Jones. She doesn't get along with him because he is a touchy creep and she feels he abuses his powers. From this, all the way to the rape attempts, there is imagery of sexual deviance and violence.
Imagery of poverty
Fewer places in the world were subject to more abject poverty than Lutie's situation. She is a poor, single woman with a child who has to work to provide for them, so she ends up in Harlem of all places, during the 1940's, when racism against black people was still openly violent in many places. These portraits of Street life are examples of life in survival mode, in the jungle of concrete that leaves so many subject to abuse.
Imagery of prostitution
We actually see a full-blown tale in this story about how prostitutes are "made," so to speak, because obviously Mrs. Hedges intends to employ Lutie. In the meantime, she helps arrange for Lutie to get raped. Why? Because after Lutie has been raped, Mrs. Hedges will save the day and introduce Lutie to a pimp, having lied to her that he intends to marry her. This is "Junto." Lutie puts this all together very quickly in a moment before she murders her would-be rapist and escapes to Chicago.
