The French Professor

An older, very thin man who is balding and has an ulcer. He was in a concentration camp for seven years before his escape to France. Seeing beauty in his surroundings hurts him, and when the pain becomes too much he leaves for some place farther south. He feels very old and that his miserable life is almost over. He is attracted and drawn to a student in his class, Harriet; even though he views her as stupid, he can't stop thinking about her. He lectures himself that he is to old and she is too young and has her whole life ahead of her, but he fantasizes about being with her and giving her all the love he has left. His life story is published in a magazine and he is outraged that they refer to his miserable existence. He is tempted to take Harriet with him to Mexico, but be denies himself the affair, the relationship, and even the acknowledgment of it and plans to move on.

Harriet

A young black student attending an all-girls school in Mississippi. Harriet appears dumb to her French professor, but is actually a smart girl who desires to gain all the knowledge she can. She feels drawn to the French professor and thinks and fantasizes about him. She longs to be able to talk with him, ask him questions, and become his lover. Harriet is a daydreamer type. She is also very aware of her own reality, if not that of her own people. Harriet feels confined and trapped. She tolerates being made love to in a car, but gets no pleasure from it or from the young man. She feels more on the level of the French professor. Harriet hopes to impress him with her French but fails to do so. Her wish to become his lover and seek comfort and provide solace to him does not come true.