The Walls of Jericho Literary Elements

Novel

Set in Harlem and written in the context of the Harlem Renaissance

Third-person narrative

Humorous, intriguing, fascinating

The central character is Ralph Merritt.

The major conflict is when Merritt moves to his new vicinity, he faces backlash, discrimination and isolation. Whites dominate the new neighborhood, and they ask him to move away because they do not want black people there.

The climax comes when Mr Merritt refuses to bow to white people such as Miss Cramp to relocate from the white neighborhood in Harlem. Instead, Mr Merritt decided to stay put and prove to the whites that African Americans are not a nuisance as perceived by the whites.

Preconceived negative assumptions about Africans foreshadow racial prejudice against black Americans.

The inconsistent treatment in terms of the humaneness of African Americans is understated. The whites feel that African Americans can only be good at their professions, but they cannot live in the same neighborhoods as whites.

The story alludes to the impact of racial discrimination against blacks.

The sense of sight is depicted through the imagery of Harlem. The author describes the Fifth Avenue in New York that leads to Harlem.

The main paradox is that despite Mr Merritt being a respectable lawyer, he is looked down upon when he moves to settle in a white-dominated neighborhood.

Racial bigotry parallels Americans' daily life in which the white society looks down upon blacks.

N/A

The white-dominated neighborhood is incarnated as cruel.