He and his wife Elizabeth are expecting their second child, and if her parents on Striver's Row don't approve of him or their cramped apartment across from the subway tracks, it's still home.įew people know he descends from a line of uptown hoods and crooks, and that his façade of normalcy has more than a few cracks in it.

GradeSaver, 29 September 2021 Web.'Ray Carney was only slightly bent when it came to being crooked.' To his customers and neighbors on 125th street, Carney is an upstanding salesman of reasonably priced furniture, making a decent life for himself and his family.

Next Section Symbols, Allegory and Motifs Previous Section Quotes How To Cite in MLA Format Will, Elisa. Will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback. You can help us out by revising, improving and updatingĪfter you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Whitehead addresses crucial societal menaces affecting the African-American community and the society at large like corruption, privilege, power, race, morality, crime, civil rights, and black heritage. The story is surely entertaining and full of humor, as it undoubtedly highlights African-American's prowess in writing crime sagas. These criminal operations are damaging to the community, and Whitehead uses this novel to raise subtle political and social commentary that go a long way to complement the story of African-Americans trying to escape the trappings of poverty and lead decent lives. Whitehead exceptionally paints a vivid picture using his powerful words to depict a neighborhood that's culturally diverse and closely intertwined, that everyone in Harlem seems like part of one big family.Įverything though is not as they seem, as there exists a very influential underground world of crime that has a grip on Harlem. Set in the vibrant and booming city of New York, Harlem of the 1950s and 60s, it explores the everyday life of the people that live in this inviting yet chaotic community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.Ĭolson Whitehead ventures into new territories, moving away from the heavy-handed social commentary, and into a close-knit story about family, loyalty, and crime. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

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