Marked by Fire is about black characters residing in a black community, and it takes place in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement—and yet race rarely takes center stage. Unusual move, right? Don't go thinking this means race doesn't matter in the book, though. Joyce Carol Thomas zooms in on the lived experiences of black people, focusing on the few in a time when the many are rising up. Race is a quiet given in this book, influencing the lives of the characters in ways both big and small. So keep your eyes peeled.
Questions About Race
- What do you think the white part of Ponca City is like? Why?
- Using the visit from the county woman (Chapter 14), what is Abby's understanding of race? How about of racism?
- How does being black influence the women in Ponca City? Be specific and give evidence from the text.
Chew on This
Part of why the women of Ponca City are such a tightknit group is because they are black. They do their best to take care of each other because they have no faith society at large will care for them.
Abby is most definitely aware of race—that's why she opts to stay in Ponca City after high school instead of leave.