Summary
The next section picks up Tolroy's storyline. The narrator notes that Tolroy eventually managed to get his family properly settled in London. He gets Lewis a job at the factory where Moses works. Tolroy is not particularly fond of Lewis and tells Moses to keep an eye on him. The narrator notes that Lewis is known for having a very violent temper. Tolroy and Moses talk and Tolroy tells him about his family. He says that things are good at the moment.
At work, Lewis talks to Moses a great deal, as he is impressed with Moses's worldly outlook. Moses finds Lewis annoying and decides to taunt him. He tells him that often women will cheat on their husbands when they are at work. Lewis is upset by this piece of information. He tells the foreman he has a bad headache and asks to leave work early. He goes home and viciously beats Agnes after accusing her of having an affair. He starts telling Moses that he is certain his wife, Agnes, is cheating on him and that he knows who it is with.
Tanty talks to Agnes and tells her that she should leave Lewis for mistreating her. Lewis asks Moses if he would handle this situation in the same way. Moses says he would not. Moses says that he has no way of knowing that his wife cheated on him and that he's probably wrong. Still Lewis continues to assume Agnes is having an affair. Lewis returns home one day and cannot find Agnes. He asks Tanty where she is but Tanty refuses to tell him. He reports her missing to the police.
One day, after Agnes has been gone for a while, Lewis receives a notice that he has been charged with assault. He is extremely upset and asks Moses for advice. Moses tells him to write a nice letter to Agnes, to make amends before the court date. Lewis says he loves Agnes but that she makes him too jealous. Moses says he should say that he wants her to come home and that things will be different. Lewis says he always tells her that. Growing annoyed, as he is tired from a long day of work, Moses says that Lewis should handle this himself. Agnes never returns to him and he eventually adjusts to life as a bachelor. Later he finds a young girlfriend.
The section that follows is about Tanty, Tolroy's aunt. She has a conversation with Tolroy about Agnes and says that she knows where she is but won't tell, to protect her from Lewis. She also criticizes Tolroy for dating white women. The narrator then shifts focus and describes a row of old houses in the neighborhood where Tolroy and his family live. They also mention that London is full of "little worlds" like this one and that many people, particularly white Londoners, have no idea what goes on in the neighborhoods right next to theirs.
Tanty frequents a grocery store that sells a number of Jamaican goods because it reminds her of home. Tanty also goes to the shop to gossip, which she does often. The narrator remarks that she recounted almost all of the Lewis-Agnes drama to the patrons and owners of the store. Tanty also likes to ask for directions to different parts of the city despite never riding the subway or the bus. It makes her excited to know about the layout of the city and have some sense of how to navigate it in her mind. One day, she has to return her sister's house keys, forcing her to take the train. She does so expertly, as she has memorized the city. She is nervous at first, but quickly becomes confident in her abilities.
Summer arrives in London. Galahad begins to feel as though he has finally found his footing in the city. He has recently been paid and heads out on the town for a date. He dresses nicely and feels confident as he walks through the streets. He stops to talk to a white woman and her young child pejoratively comments on the color of his skin. Galahad thinks back on other times scenes like this have occurred. He wonders why white people hold such unthinking prejudice in their hearts. He meets up with his date, Daisy, and they go to the movies to see The Gladiator.
Analysis
Sexuality is an important theme in this part of the novel. Lewis's story reveals the dangers of jealousy, as he becomes so overcome with it that it compels him to commit terrible violence. As a result, he loses his wife Agnes and ends up being charged with assault. Like the other plotlines involving romance, this one portrays the way a character's life is harmed by the mishandling of a relationship. In this case, Lewis is so insecure about his wife's fidelity that Moses's teasing comment about married women sneaking off with lovers during the workday sends him into a frenzy. This continues with such intensity that even Moses tells him he needs to relax. Lewis's desire for his wife quickly turns to physical abuse when he feels the slightest sense of worry, suggesting that he is a petty and cruel man. Selvon demonstrates yet another way in which romantic relationships can take a turn for the worse if not handled with care.
City life is another important theme in this section. While describing Tolroy's neighborhood, the narrator remarks on how London isn't one unified whole, but rather a series of little worlds. They add that people can go their entire lives being completely oblivious to what is happening in the neighborhood next to them. What they mean is that, as illustrated by the lives of these characters, white Londoners are so unaware of the vibrant immigrant communities adjacent to them. The book expands on this idea as it hops around between narrative threads, showing how rich this neighborhood is in storied individuals. Moses knows his friends, and their triumphs and struggles, so intimately, and yet someone two blocks over wouldn't even be able to picture their lives. Selvon portrays how the city, for all of its melting pot qualities, remains segregated into cultural bubbles.
Immigration is also a significant theme, as this portion of the book shows different characters successfully adjusting to life in London. Tanty learns the public transit routes from memory and is able to put them to use when her mother leaves her house keys at home. By the time summer arrives, Galahad has a steady paycheck, a new wardrobe, and a date. Selvon portrays their gradual success at carving out a life within the fast pace of London’s bustle. While life is not without its tribulations, the characters persevere against the odds.
Racism also continues to be a central theme in these pages. After an upsetting encounter with a white woman and her child, Galahad thinks back on other instances of prejudice he has experienced in London. He remembers a time when he overheared two white men in a bathroom complaining about Black immigrants ruining things. In this terrible moment, as he thinks about all this prejudice, he feels that the color of his skin has caused him so much suffering. While Selvon shows Galahad’s adjustment to London, he also portrays the toll of racial prejudice on his spirits. Even with his new clothes and confident walk, he is never allowed to not be aware of being an outsider. This feeling is a weight that Selvon describes on all of the characters, as they grapple with it in different ways. For Galahad, he is heartbroken, as he feels he has done everything he can to be a good citizen, but knows it will never quite be enough for many of the white people he is surrounded by.
This portion of the book shows characters like Tanty, Lewis, and Galahad settling into their routines. Some of these routines are unambiguously positive. Tanty becomes comfortable navigating the city on her own and finds a local shop to frequent. Others are reflective of struggle. Galahad starts making good money at his new job, but still feels the sting of racial prejudice on the street. He has learned his way around London, but still cannot escape hurtful remarks. This middle section of the book captures the characters in transition, as they try to sort out their new lives.
