What is the theme in The Street by Ann Petry?

The entire novel is based on Lutie's struggle to overcome poverty and to become financially stable. Lutie has two strikes against her from birth. She is black, and she is a woman.

During the time the novel was written, jobs for black males are very difficult to obtain. When there is work for a black male, the salary is not substantial enough for him to provide for himself and his family. The black females have better luck obtaining jobs, but their absence from the home often leaves their husbands feeling emasculated and eventually results in a broken home.