The Street Literary Elements

The Street Literary Elements

Genre

African-American Literature

Setting and Context

Harlem during the Second World War

Narrator and Point of View

The novel is narrated by multiple characters, as it switches perspective in each chapter.

Tone and Mood

The tone is hopeful; the mood is optimistic.

Protagonist and Antagonist

Lutie is the protagonist; Jim is the antagonist.

Major Conflict

The major conflict of the novel occurs when Lutie gives birth to her baby son, Bub, as she now as another person that she must support.

Climax

The climax of the story is reached when Jones becomes obsesses sexually over Lutie as his girlfriend is unattractive so he feels sexually frustrated.

Foreshadowing

The befriending of Bub is foreshadowed by Jones' desire to get closer to Lutie.

Understatement

The role of sexual violence is understated throughout the novel.

Allusions

The story alludes to the changing sexual revolution in Harlem at the time.

Imagery

The imagery of grotty brothels is present in the novel.

Paradox

N/A

Parallelism

There is a parallel between the time that Junto has spent with Mrs Hedges and the attraction that he has towards her.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

The used needles are a metonym for the broken and abused women in Harlem.

Personification

N/A

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