The Reunion (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Maya Angelou
- First Published: 1983
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: Probably the 1930's or 1940's
- Setting: Chicago's South Side
- Principal Characters: Philomena Jenkins, Beth Ann Baker
- Genres: Social realism, Short fiction
- Subjects: African Americans, United States or Americans, Blacks, Music or musicians, 1940’s, Midwest, 1930’s, Chicago, Women, Jazz music
- Locales: Chicago, IL
The Story
The story's title produces an expectation that characters soon to be introduced will share nostalgia of bygone days and long for happier hours that can never be fully recaptured. A few opening words laced with irony, however, dispel this anticipation. The appearance of a particular white woman in a jazz club, the Palm Cafe, jolts the narrator, whose surprise is intensified by the fact that the lady in question appears to be dating a black man. Faced with a seeming impossibility the narrator consults her long-term memory, checking for accuracy, and concedes that this...
[The entire page is 1303 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
