The Flagellants (Masterplots II: African American Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Carlene Hatcher Polite
- First Published: 1966
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social criticism
- Time of Work: The late 1960’s
- Setting: New York City
- Principal Characters: Ideal, Jimson, Adam, Papa Boo, Rheba, Johnny Lowell
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
- Subjects: African Americans, 1960’s, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Love or romance, Race, South or Southerners, Gender roles, New York City, Poetry or poets, Libraries or librarians, Poverty or poor people, Adultery
- Locales: New York, NY
The Novel
The Flagellants is the story of the romantic relationship between Ideal and Jimson. After a brief prologue establishing Ideal’s childhood connection to a black community called “the Bottom,” the novel unfolds as a series of arguments between the couple, representing the historical gender conflicts between black men and women.
The first chapter introduces Ideal, who huddles alone on the bed in a dingy New York City apartment she shares with Jimson. Her mind weaving a frantic interior monologue, Ideal attempts to come to terms with her deteriorating...
[The entire page is 2406 words long]
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