When the novel begins, Helga is a twenty-two-year-old school teacher at Naxos, a Negro boarding school. Finding herself both frustrated by the complacent attitudes of the blacks in Naxos towards racism and unfulfilled as a teacher Helga decides to leave Naxos and her fiance fellow teacher James Vayle, who is black. Jamesā family does not approve of the match because of Helgaās mixed ancestry.
The first lines in the novel QuicksandĀ areĀ āHelga Crane sat alone in her room, which at that hour, eight in the evening, was in soft gloom.ā These opening lines anticipate both the plot and the development of Helga Crane as a character. Helga CraneĀ is a lonely, isolated woman whose life appears to be very gloomy.Helga is biracial therefore not accepted by the blacks or the whites. The author states on page 9,Ā “The great community, she thought. was no longer a school. It had grown into a machine. It was now a show place in the black belt, exemplification of the Whiteman’s magnanimity, refutation of the black man’s inefficiency. Life had died out of it”Ā The school was an example of the theory that African Americans needed to improve their lot, the policy of “Black Uplift”.Ā The education at Naxos, was a place where individualism was very discouraged. Helga becomes disenchanted with the hypocrisy at the prestigious school and begins re-evaluating her career choice as a teacher.
I agree with you. I feel that, thus far in the reading Helga is in a “dimension ” of her own. It doesn’t strike me though, if she wants to be accepted by the people in Naxos, or if she is just so disgusted by the African Americans being too complacent and accepting of the racism toward them. The fact that she is biracial seems not to bring her close to anyone but, to draw her further apart from both races. Helga was determined to leave Naxos and convinced that she just did not belong there. I think that her intelligence is what probably separated her from the rest of the African American women in Naxos. To my understanding Helga had the ability yo read between the lines and analyze situations and conversations for what they were, and get a deeper meaning. For me, these were just some of the factors which separated her from everyone else, and contributed to her isolating herself .
(Late Comment)
I agree with what you said for many reasons. Helga does not like Naxos at all and I think that is has to do with how people treat her. Helga does not feel like she belongs anywhere, but I think its because she is both black and white. I don’t think she likes certain places because the people don’t understand her for who she is. I don’t think that Helga really understands why she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere, which is sad, but it happens.
(Late Comment)
I agree with what you said for many reasons. Helga does not like Naxos at all and I think that is has to do with how people treat her. Helga does not feel like she belongs anywhere, but I think its because she is both black and white. I don’t think she likes certain places because the people don’t understand her for who she is. I don’t think that Helga really understands why she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere, which is sad, but it happens.