Unable to endure his own thoughts and worries, the narrator escapes into the streets for a walk. As he wanders through Harlem’s ice-covered streets, he observes the diversity of the community. His attention is drawn to a street vendor with an “odd-looking wagon”, emitting the enticing aroma of baked yams. The scent triggers childhood memories of the South. Compelled by nostalgia, the narrator buys a yam and devours it. The vendor adds hot butter and the narrator enjoyed it with the yam. This simple act sparks a revelation: he resolves to embrace his identity without shame. The narrator has a moment of realisation, deciding that he will no longer act according to what others think of him. He will eat a yam on the street if he wants to. He remarks that many blacks are ashamed of their own culture, even the things that they like. He imagines Dr. Bledsoe’s shame if the narrator were to accuse him of being a “chitterling eater.” He resolves to be ashamed no more and buys two more yams from the yam man.
Continuing his walk, he stumbles onto a commotion on a side street, where movers and a marshal are evicting an elderly couple, the Provos. Their belongings lie scattered on the street, drawing a passive crowd. The narrator hears scattered words that something ought to be done about the eviction, but no one actually takes action. The old woman, Sister Provo, protests her ill-treatment in the street, asking the movers to take their hands off of her Bible. The crowd begins to get angrier, and the narrator too feels outraged when he sees Sister Provo sobbing. The narrator examines the couple’s clutter thrown into the street. He recognizes both knick-knacks and his documents that display their history, including Brother Provo’s “freedom papers” from 1859. The narrator feels as though he too is being dispossessed.
Sister Provo begs to return to the apartment to pray, but the marshal refuses. When she tries to rush inside, she is pushed back. This angers the crowd who suddenly turn violent and threaten to rush the marshal. Before the crowd attacks the marshal, the narrator steps forward and urges the crowd to organise rather than resort to violence. He highlights the Provos’ lives through their possessions and emphasises the injustice they face. With the crowd on his side, the narrator tries to convince the marshal to let the Provos back into the house for 15 minutes in order to pray. The marshal refuses, telling the narrator that he has his orders. The narrator tries to keep speaking in order to keep the crowd under control but is soon bypassed by the anger that he himself has sparked.
The crowd rushes past him and overtakes the marshal. As the crowd attacks, the narrator yells that they should have a prayer meeting in the apartment. The men begin to take the Provos’ belongings back into the apartment. The narrator notices a few white men have joined to help. When he asks why they were there, the say they are “friends of the people.” The narrator feels uneasy despite their seemingly good intentions. One of these white men calls on the crowd to stage a march.
The tension escalates as police sirens approach. When officers arrive, the narrator insists the crowd is merely cleaning the street. However, the police call for reinforcements. The narrator, realising that the situation is about to get out of hand, escapes. A white woman from the unfamiliar group guides him to a safe route over the rooftops. She also compliments his speech. He thanks her for her help and flees over the rooftop. When he looks behind, he realises that he is being followed. Though the man doesn’t appear to be a police officer, the narrator keeps his distance. He begins to question his role in inciting the riot. Once he reaches street level, he blends into the crowd and walks away.
Just as the narrator thinks he has escaped, the voice of Brother Jack startles him. He praises the narrator’s ability to inspire action. Brother Jack introduces himself as a “friend” and an “admirer” and invites the narrator for coffee. At a cafeteria, the narrator observes Jack, a small white man with an energetic demeanour, and finds his mannerisms slightly unsettling. Jack commends the narrator’s rhetorical skills, dismisses individual struggles such as that of the Provos as unimportant and offers him a job as a spokesperson for Harlem. Sceptical of Jack’s intentions, the narrator declines, but Jack leaves him with a phone number, urging him to reconsider.
As the narrator departs, he reflects on Jack’s ambiguous motives and his escape over the rooftops. His thoughts return to the eviction, imagining how someone like Mary Rambo would respond. Convinced of Mary’s resilience, he feels a renewed sense of purpose as he heads home.
The Yam as a Symbol: The yam represents the narrator’s reconciliation with his past and present. Eating the yam openly symbolises his rejection of societal expectations and his embrace of his cultural heritage. Earlier in the novel, the narrator avoided foods associated with Black culture to appear less “southern,” reflecting internalised shame. This shift marks a step toward self-acceptance.
The Eviction and Speech: The eviction illustrates systemic oppression in tangible terms. The Provos’ plight embodies the long history of Black dispossession and links slavery to contemporary struggles. Through his speech, the narrator discovers his ability to mobilise a crowd – by blending legal rhetoric with a critique of injustice. However, the crowd’s uncontrollable anger highlights the complexity of leadership and the unpredictable nature of collective action.
The Brotherhood: The Brotherhood’s presence introduces ambiguity. Though they appear supportive, their involvement feels intrusive, suggesting ulterior motives. Their alignment with the narrator’s newfound activism is both an opportunity and a potential threat, foreshadowing future complications.
Brother Jack: Jack’s perspective, prioritising abstract ideals over individual lives, contrasts sharply with the narrator’s focus on personal stories. While Jack’s interest flatters the narrator, it also raises questions about his true intentions, hinting at the tension between collective movements and personal agency.
What do the Provos’ belongings symbolise during the eviction?
a. Their resilience
b. Their connection to history and identity
c. Their material wealth
d. Their isolation from the community
How does the narrator try to control the angry crowd during the eviction?
a. By urging them to stage a protest march
b. By appealing to the marshal’s sense of justice
c. By encouraging them to organise rather than resort to violence
d. By asking them to disperse immediately
What does the yam symbolise for the narrator?
a. A return to his Southern roots
b. His rejection of societal expectations
c. His resistance to cultural assimilation
d. All of the above
How does the narrator feel about the Brotherhood’s involvement in the eviction incident?
a. Fully supported
b. Inspired and encouraged
c. Uneasy and sceptical
d. Indifferent
What is Brother Jack’s primary criticism of the narrator’s perspective?
a. His focus on personal stories over collective ideals
b. His lack of rhetorical skills
c. His reluctance to join the Brotherhood
d. His role in inciting violence
ANSWER: 1. B 2. C 3. D 4. C 5. A
Explain the symbolic significance of the yam in the narrator’s journey toward self-acceptance.
Discuss how the eviction of the Provos highlights systemic oppression and its connection to historical struggles.
Analyse the narrator’s leadership during the eviction incident. What strengths and challenges does he face?
Compare and contrast Brother Jack’s perspective on activism with the narrator’s focus on personal stories.
