Theater (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Jean Toomer
- First Published: 1923
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The 1920's
- Setting: Harlem, New York City
- Principal Characters: John, Dorris
- Genres: Social realism, Short fiction
- Subjects: African Americans, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Blacks, New York City, 1920’s, Dancing or dancers, Theaters
- Locales: Harlem, NY
The Story
The “theater” of the title is Howard Theater, an urban cabaret in the 1920's, set amid the “life of nigger alleys, of pool rooms and restaurants and near-beer saloons.” As its afternoon rehearsal begins, the manager's brother John sits in the center of the theater and watches. He is a light-skinned African American, educated, urbane, and conscious of his social status.
The chorus girls themselves hold no interest for John. He coldly contemplates them and rejects them. They are beautiful, but beneath him socially; all of their movements are studied and...
[The entire page is 1490 words long]
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