Religion

Religion plays a key role in the novel although the position the novel takes on religion is neither wholly positive nor wholly negative. Numerous negative aspects are illustrated. These are mainly presented through the character of Thomas Washington. One of the most egregious ways Thomas uses the idea of religion against his daughter is through the prayer closet he locks her in. The walls of this closet are covered in pictures of white celebrities, and Thomas not only makes Maddy go in there, but he locks her in there. He forces her to keep the lights on so she can see the pictures the whole time she is in there. Then, he forces her to pray to become more like those women. In this way, religion is not seen as something to sustain a person but rather to persecute them.

Another way that religion is shown...