Blog Entry #2- The Harlem Renaissance Readings

  "Smoke, Lilies, & Jade" is a poem that is littered with ellipses. Every few words, there's a "..." separating the sentence. It gives the impression that every single time the author made a thought, they jotted it down and moved onto the next.

  The story continues this somewhat relaxed sense of disposition with the first line, "He wanted to do something... to write or draw... or something... but it was so comfortable just to lay there on the bed... his shoes off... and think... think of everything... short disconnected thoughts--to wonder... to remember... to think and smoke...why wasn't he worried that he had no money... he had five cents... but he had been hungry..."(569) This shows the major trait of the main character; a pronounced sense of depressed laziness.

  The main character, Alex, is written as having a somewhat tragic life. His father died when he was six years old, and his mother is very reserved with her emotions. Although this is the underlying past of the character, the story is about the struggles that he endures pondering over his sexuality and his inability to work as a "normal" person. He wants to be an artist, and he seems to want a carefree life. This is symbolized by his constant smoking.

  In regard to modernity and the contemporary time, I see a lot of modern hints in the story. For example, Alex, the main character, struggles to know whether he is more interested in Fania, an African American girl that he is attracted to, or Adrian, a white man that he is involved with whom he calls "Beauty." This is similar to the LGBTQ community that we see today. The difference in time period is stark in the poem, because it is clear that Alex doesn't want people to know of his involvement.

  The style of this story is like that of a dream. The author's thoughts are simply spilled out on the paper, making the story seem somewhat flowing. It is unique because I have not seen any stories written in this manner before. I personally enjoy the break from normality.

  When comparing this poem to Nella Larsen's "Passing," I notice that there are similarities in the way that the characters speak. I also see a resemblance in racist undertones, hinting that the poverty displayed in the story is a result of skin color. This poem is also similar to "Passing" in that there is death involved.