One of the novel's paradoxes is that Ambrose's faith-which Grant rejects because it is also the white man's-enables him to stand up against the white man's "justice." How do we resolve this paradox? How has faith served African-Americans as a source of pe

The second part of your question is not complete but I can comment on the first part of your question. At the beginning of the novel, Grant views religion with disdain, acknowledging its important place in African-American culture while questioning its truth and its usefulness. Although he never embraces Christianity, the events of the novel make him more aware of how religion can soothe the afflicted. He encourages Jefferson to pray just to please Miss Emma, also suggesting that religion can be a useful means of social cohesion even if the teachings themselves are questionable to some.