1. How does the legend of the African relate to Tucker’s actions? 2. How does the invisibility theme relate to Tucker and the other blacks in the novel? 3. Discuss the significance of the items that are destroyed by Tucker. 4. What has caused David to lose the “something” that […]
Read more Study Help Essay QuestionsCritical Essay Kelley’s Writing Style
The novel is told almost wholly from the viewpoint of the white people in the town. The black characters are never used as narrators, and the few instances in which they do speak are re-told by either a white narrative voice or by an omniscient narrator. This technique is surprising […]
Read more Critical Essay Kelley’s Writing StyleCharacter Analysis Dewey Willson
Dewey is a symbol of a significant group of white Americans within the novel. Dewey grew up with Tucker; Tucker was a large part of his early years, but David was uninterested in the psychological make-up of the boy. Dewey and Tucker played together and slept in the same room. […]
Read more Character Analysis Dewey WillsonCharacter Analysis Mister Leland
Harold Leland (or Mister Leland, as he is called) is the eight-year-old son of Harry Leland. Mister Leland is growing up at a time when changes are coming to the South within the novel, and, through his father, he is being taught how to reconcile his life to those changes. […]
Read more Character Analysis Mister LelandCharacter Analysis Harry Leland
Harry Leland is an important figure in this novel because he keeps the events in perspective as Tucker destroys his property. It is Harry Leland, for example, who makes the reader understand that Tucker is not crazy, as is suggested by the others at the farm. He also makes sure […]
Read more Character Analysis Harry LelandCharacter Analysis Dymphna Willson
When we first meet Dymphna, she is trying to make some sense of the events of the past two days. In doing so, she searches for memories of Bethrah, the only black she has known really well. Unlike Dewey, Dymphna knows quite a lot about the black person whom she […]
Read more Character Analysis Dymphna WillsonCharacter Analysis David Willson
As a young man, David resolved to work for meaningful changes in the lives of blacks in the South. He tried to overcome the bigotry of his parents and attempted to commit himself to ideals foreign to the South. Part of the reason for this commitment came from his studies […]
Read more Character Analysis David WillsonCharacter Analysis Camille Willson
Camille Willson is what Kelley characterizes as the “new” southern woman — that is, she has traveled away from the town in which she was born and has seen some other ways of living. However, like the typical southern woman, she sees blacks only as servants and is never overly […]
Read more Character Analysis Camille WillsonCharacter Analysis Tucker Caliban
Tucker Caliban is the descendant of an African chief who was brought to America in chains. The African refused to be enslaved and fought the system and the men who tried to keep him a captive. His fight ultimately ended in his destruction, but he left his child to carry […]
Read more Character Analysis Tucker CalibanSummary and Analysis Chapter 11 – The Men on the Porch
The final chapter in this novel is a summation section. As the chapter opens, the last carloads of blacks are leaving the state. Some of the men have remained at Thomason’s store that evening and have decided to go and have a look at the black section of town. There […]
Read more Summary and Analysis Chapter 11 – The Men on the Porch