Browse all of the Salem on Literature series

Another Country (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)

At a glance:

Characters Discussed

Rufus Scott, a jazz drummer. Handsome, talented, and black, Rufus is the pivotal character in the novel, although he commits suicide at the end of the first chapter. He meets his girlfriend, Leona, a white woman from the South, while playing a gig. Their unstable relationship is torn apart by racial and other tensions between them. He beats her until his friend, Vivaldo Moore, intercedes. Rufus’ ensuing depression results in his suicide: He walks out onto the George Washington Bridge and jumps. Rufus’ struggle initiates the questions the novel explores,...

[The entire page is 1401 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

Dictionary Tip:

Lookup any word on eNotes with our dictionary. Highlight the word and press SHIFT + D for a definition, or SHIFT + T for a synonym.