Setting

The setting is extremely important in the play. Although African Americans were discriminated against in the northern American states, too, it was in the South that they faced the most racism. Robert's behavior at the post office is astounding to white men like Higgins, who warns Norwood that the white people of the area are not going to put up with behavior like that. Higgins says, "The white folks at the Junction aren't intending to put up with him much longer." When Robert claims his heritage as Norwood's son to the assembled crowd in town, he crosses another line, as Higgins notes to Norwood. Higgins says, "Now, Tom, you know that don't go 'round these parts o' Georgia, nor nowhere else in the South. A darkie's got to keep in his place down here."

However, as Robert notes, this is not true everywhere in the South. As Robert...