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90 pages 3 hours read

James Baldwin

If Beale Street Could Talk

James BaldwinFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1974

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Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

Long Answer

1. Baldwin’s novel is written in a non-linear format, with many flashbacks to the time preceding and surrounding Fonny’s arrest. As the novel is from Tish’s perspective, this gives the novel a reflective mood, since she is recalling happier times and better memories than the present situation. (Various locations)

2. The title’s novel is a reference to W. C. Handy’s song “Beale Street Blues.” At the time, Beale Street was a popular locale in Memphis, Tennessee, for the African American community.

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