Toni Cade Bambara’s poignant narrative, The Salt Eaters, intricately weaves themes of mental health, sexual bias, and racial prejudice, laying bare the societal forces that shape Velma's struggles. Her mental illness emerges not in isolation but as a cumulative product of the oppressive structures around her. Bambara deftly illustrates how these biases intertwine, reflecting the broader challenges faced by African American women.

Bambara's works often draw upon the rich African American tradition of oral storytelling, infusing her narratives with a rhythmic, dialogue-driven style that brings her characters and their communities to life. This storytelling tradition not only preserves cultural memory but also empowers her characters, providing them with a voice to share their truths and perspectives.

Young girls in Bambara’s stories often exemplify resistance against rigid social norms through their actions. Whether it’s through acts of defiance or subtle subversions of expected behaviors, these characters challenge the status quo, illustrating the spirit of rebellion and the quest for identity and autonomy in the face of societal expectations.

Truth telling stands as a cornerstone of Bambara’s oeuvre, where characters often grapple with revealing harsh realities and personal truths. This insistence on honesty and transparency becomes a tool for empowerment and liberation, enabling characters to confront and dismantle the lies that sustain oppressive systems.

Within Bambara’s fiction, social activists emerge as pivotal figures striving to remedy systemic issues. These characters are often portrayed as deeply committed to causes such as racial equality, gender justice, and community upliftment. Their activism is depicted as a collective effort to address and rectify the societal ills that afflict their communities, reflecting Bambara’s own dedication to social change.