The Black Ball Literary Elements

Short stories, historical fiction

The four stories are set in various locations across the United States between the 1920s and 1940s. "Boy on a Train" takes place on a train traveling from Oklahoma City to McAlester in 1924. "Hymie's Bull" takes place on a train traveling through various locations during the Great Depression. "The Black Ball" takes place in an apartment building in an unspecified southwestern city. "The Cat Man" takes place in New York City during the 1940s. The stories are set against the backdrop of Jim Crow segregation and white supremacist violence, which shape the experiences and perspectives of the characters.

The four stories are narrated from the first-person perspective of an unnamed narrator. The narrator in "Boy on a Train" is James, a young boy who is traveling with his mother and baby brother on a train. The narrator in "Hymie's Bull" is a young Black man who is freight hopping around the country during the Great Depression. The narrator in "The Black Ball" is a janitor named John who works in an apartment building. The narrator in "The Cat Man" is a young Black man who is studying art in New York City.

The tone s generally melancholic and introspective, as the stories explore the difficult experiences and emotions of the characters. The mood of the stories is often somber and reflective, as the characters ponder the impact of segregation and white supremacy on their lives and their communities.

The protagonists are the unnamed narrators of each story, who are all African American men living in the United States between the 1920s and 1940s. The antagonists of the stories are the various systems and individuals that perpetuate segregation and white supremacy, including the white supremacy of the railroads in "Hymie's Bull," the prejudice and discrimination of white society in "The Black Ball," and the racism of the art world in "The Cat Man."

The major conflict is the struggle of the African American characters against segregation and white supremacy. In each story, the narrators face various challenges and obstacles as they try to navigate a society that is deeply biased against them. The stories explore how segregation and white supremacy impact the characters' relationships, opportunities, and sense of self, and how the characters respond to these challenges.

The climax of each story occurs when the narrator confronts the major conflict of the story and makes a significant decision or discovers a new truth. In "Boy on a Train," the climax occurs when James promises to protect his mother and keep the family together after her emotional breakdown on the train. In "Hymie's Bull," the climax occurs when the narrator narrowly escapes being lynched by white bulls in retaliation for Hymie's killing of one of their own. In "The Black Ball," the climax occurs when John decides to confront Mr. Berry about his prejudice and discrimination against John and his son. In "The Cat Man," the climax occurs when the narrator discovers the truth about his mentor's past and confronts him about his own internalized racism.

Foreshadowing is used to hint at future events or to suggest the significance of certain details. In "Boy on a Train," the metaphor of life as a train that is always moving and unpredictable foreshadows the challenges and changes that James and his family will face in their new home. In "Hymie's Bull," the description of the bulls' violent treatment of Black bums foreshadows the danger that the narrator faces when he is nearly lynched. In "The Black Ball," John's son's question about his own race foreshadows the racism and discrimination that he will experience as he grows up.

Understatement is used to downplay or minimize the significance of certain events or emotions. In "Boy on a Train," James' mother describes her husband's death as "not good," downplaying the grief and loss that she feels. In "Hymie's Bull," the narrator describes Hymie's killing of the bull as "not much," downplaying the gravity of the crime. In "The Black Ball," John describes Mr. Berry's racism as "not really so bad," downplaying the impact that it has on his life and his son's.

Allusions are used to reference other works of literature, history, or popular culture. In "Hymie's Bull," the reference to the Great Depression alludes to the economic downturn that occurred in the 1930s and impacted the lives of many Americans. In "The Black Ball," the reference to the "flaming sword" from the Garden of Eden alludes to the biblical story of Adam and Eve.

Imagery is used to create vivid, sensory descriptions that help to paint a picture in the reader's mind. In "Boy on a Train," the imagery of the wild horses galloping across the hills, the farmers leading their cows through cornfields, and the autumn leaves falling creates a sense of the changing seasons and the beauty of the natural world. In "Hymie's Bull," the imagery of the bulls beating bums and Hymie vomiting from bad stew creates a sense of violence and sickness. In "The Black Ball," the imagery of the flowers and plants in the lobby, the breakfast that John prepares for his son, and the "flaming sword" in the sky creates a sense of beauty and the divine.

Paradoxes are used to challenge readers' assumptions and to highlight the complexities of the characters' experiences. In "The Black Ball," John's statement that he is "brown" but that the best thing to be is "American" is a paradox, as being American typically means being white. This paradox highlights the racism and discrimination that John and his son face, and the ways in which their racial identities are used against them.

Parallelism is used to highlight the similarities and differences between the characters and their experiences. In "Boy on a Train," the parallel structure of the phrases "a white man's word" and "a Black woman's" highlights the power imbalance between whites and Blacks. In "Hymie's Bull," the parallel structure of the phrases "he saw" and "he saw" emphasizes the narrator's role as an observer of the events around him.

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Personification is used to convey the emotional experiences of the characters and to create a sense of connection between them and the world around them. In "Boy on a Train," the personification of the autumn leaves as "falling" and the wild horses as "galloping" adds a sense of movement and energy to the passage. In "The Black Ball," the personification of the brass door handles as "polishing themselves" adds a sense of pride and care to John's work.