Black Experience

One of the most striking themes in the novel is that of the black experience, which the reader is able to experience second-hand through Darren’s point of view. The novel portrays the black experience as at times enriching, frustrating, and unjust, especially as it relates to life in the South and living in among white communities as well. One of the first references to the theme is Darren’s description of Geneva’s café as a black space in the otherwise white town of Lark. Darren recalls that “for generations, black women in Texas had put up four walls, whipped up a favorite recipe, and counted the money as colored folks came from all over just to have a place where they were welcome” (56). This quote in particular highlights the need for belonging as an intrinsic part of the black experience, and the inability...