Esther (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Jean Toomer
- First Published: 1923
- Type of Plot: Character study
- Time of Work: The early twentieth century
- Setting: Rural Georgia
- Principal Characters: Esther Crane, King Barlo
- Genres: Short fiction, Character study
- Subjects: African Americans, Sex or sexuality, Biracial people, Rural or country life, Dreams, Ethnic groups, Ethics, Fire
- Locales: Georgia
The Story
“Esther” is divided into three parts. The first, titled “Nine,” describes the main character, a young black girl who lives in Georgia, at that age. She is first seen walking from her home to her father's grocery store. Esther Crane is almost pretty; her hair does not have enough shine, and her face is too unemotional. Her skin is pale, so that she could be taken for a white girl. As she walks, a strange things happens. King Barlo, a huge, well-proportioned black man, drops to his knees in the street in an area where men spit tobacco juice. White men continue...
[The entire page is 1567 words long]
