At first I wasn’t sure why the narrator would talk so much about the place where they gamble, especially because he seems to be “above” the lower classes of people in the beginning of the book. However, he does express sympathy for them, because he understands how they can get so caught up in gambling, as he apparently does. The major reason I think he brings it up is to contrast with the club where the arts attract large numbers of both white and black people.
Although it’s sort of seedy, it is a place that boasts the pride of its people with all its photos and the space for dance teams (etc.) to practice. In this way, arts or musical talents not only lift up his people, but him as well, when he gets the job as the Rag Time piano player.
Similarly, he contrast Paris with London, obviously with a um…”strong dislike” of the English people. I guess this makes sense as the French obviously had different views on race and prejudice. He doesn’t seem to point it out very clearly, except maybe when he mentions white girls sitting with him and his patron, or maybe the fact that he can free come and go to the opera and things like that without being segregated. (I guess because he was sitting next to a white girl, actually his sister, but I don’t even want to get started on that, because I don’t even have a theory on that.)
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Ahh, I almost forgot that part at the opera with the narrator sitting next to his sister?! What was that about anyway? I actually read that a couple of times because I was confused. Also for such a big thing the narrator really spends no time, nor does he give nearly enough information about the whole thing.
I thought the opera scene was sooo frusterating because he had this moment to meet his sister/confront his father i felt like it was a huge cop out.
LOl, I know I said I have no theories on that one, I have a feeling maybe it meant (or represented) something to the author, but beats me. As long as we're all in the same boat then. If by chance somebody does figure it out, do tell!
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