this was actually really interesting!! this is a novel and not a narrative as i’m used to reading for this course, but the shock and suspense i felt was all the same, towards the end i was aching to know what would happen

The Marrow of Tradition is a powerful novel. Chesnutt's grasp, mastery, even dominance of the English language at the turn of the 20th century is mind-blowing. The narrative is littered with a huge cast of characters and the benefit of this is that it steers the reader away from what are, in retrospect, mostly predictable plot points. Unless you commit a serious effort to this book, you'll find that the characters' names and minor story lines are easy to tangle up. Regardless, you'll find yourself obsessing over random details wondering if they are worth remembering for the sake of the plot.

4.5

This is one of the few books about the post-Civil War clash of races that I actually found bearable to read. Chesnutt achieves was few racially conscious authors do - he portrays his characters as real, complex people rather than caricatures or simple stereotypes of either race, and refrains from being overly preachy or self-righteous. It definitely topped reading 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' for a fourth time.

Should be required reading, plain and simple.

Read this for an English class about Southern American literature. Chesnutt expertly weaves in his own experience as a Black man in the South to cover the delicate topic of the Wilmington insurrection just two years after the incident occurred. This book was quite uncomfortable to read at times, which was extremely intentional on the author's part. It was a vile and stark truth to the realities of the way Black Americans continued to be treated after the the end of the Civil War. This book sparks a lot of good discussion on the topics discussed, and how unfortunately we see a lot of these systemic issues still at large today.

a novel that i appreciate more than love -- the symbolism, allegory, and racial nuance are all outstanding. i found myself responding more to the themes of The Marrow of Tradition than i did the characters or even the overall plot.

unfortunately many of the attitudes and actions that are profiled here are still present in american society. one that was particularly resonant with me is when a character says that white folks will misunderstand a black man's "courage for desperation, and his love of liberty for a mere animal dislike of restraint". i mean, that's just Fox News 101 / Boomer Facebook.

a quick aside -- i was watching Lovecraft Country on HBO and feeling like some of the race-based interactions were hamfisted and clunky. it felt phony, easy, and obvious. The Marrow of Tradition was a great antidote to that.