Fatherhood

Through its secondary characters the novel offers a range of different fathers in order to emphasize how important a father’s mentorship and guidance can be to young black men in the South, such as Andre and Roy. At various points in the novel, both Andre and Roy look to their father figures for guidance. Roy asks Franklin Davenport for advice with his daughter and his non-biological father Big Roy for advice on winning Celestial’s hand back. He even receives advice from his prison cellmate Walter who, it is revealed, is Roy’s biological father. Finally, Andre turns to both Franklin Davenport for reassurance and approval, and to his own estranged father Carlos for advice. These various scenes demonstrate the importance of fathers in doling out advice and reassurance to their young, often confused sons.

Throughout the novel, both Andre and Roy share a general...