Knowledge (Symbol)
In the story Knowledge is a symbol of power, because it is a strong weapon against so called “false” information which white people try to impose, including (presumably) Darwinism and other false theories which hiding the True Knowledge from people. But there are humans, who know the things and teach the real Knowledge to other people, and those “professors” don’t sit in their cabinets, they are on the streets – it is their habitat. “The Knowledge was taught from our lives’ beginnings, whether we realized it or not. Street professors presided over invisible corner podiums, and the Knowledge was dispensed.”
Eden (Allegory)
Eden is the glorious place of beauty, faith and peace, the place where everything has its own place, a unique order and harmony. In the story, it is used as an allegory when Ta-Nehisi is depicting his room, his little world where he feels good: “In the quiet chaos of my room, everything was certain. I’d be thumbing through the origin of Beast’s feral blue coat or Jean Grey’s telekinesis. And then my father would suddenly loom, a shadow in the doorway of my Eden.”
Self-development (Motif)
As was said, Knowledge is power and it is also an instrument which is necessary for achieving one’s goal. In every time it is hard to imagine successful person without good education, no matter whether at university or college. Why do people study? They study to know, to think, to develop themselves. So, the motif of self-development is a leading one in the story. Ta-Nehisi was taught by his parents that Knowledge is the most important thing in the world and he should work hard in order to get it. His life path depends on how he treats the Knowledge, whether he is working hard to get it or not.
