The Darkest Child

Is Velman a rescuer of Martha Jean, a criminal for marrying a minor, or something in between? How does he embody the multiple layers of good and bad that many characters in the text hold, and which side, if any, does he lean toward?

How does the Quinn house symbolize the dynamics of the Quinn family? Consider its physical state as well as the feelings it evokes in the children, specifically Tangy.

How does Rozelle’s attitude toward Tangy, Edna, Judy, and Crow illustrate The Effects of Systemic Racism and Colorism on Individual and Family Dynamics?

How does Tangy’s character arc illustrate The Role of Education in Liberation? What other motivators help her find liberation? Consider characters and specific scenes.

How do Junior, Hambone, and/or Sam work to change the circumstances for Black people in the Jim Crow South through their words and/or actions? In what ways do they have more agency as Black men versus Black women?

What does fire symbolize beyond what is discussed in this study guide, and what is the significance of the fires started by both Sam and Tarabelle? In what ways can fire be perceived as healing?

How do the white characters, such as Sheriff Betts, Chadlow, the Griggs family, and/or the Whitman family illustrate The Effects of Systemic Racism and Colorism on Individual and Family Dynamics?

How do Junior and Hambone’s speeches reveal the role of education in social change? What do their speeches suggest about white people’s fears about Black unity?