If Beale Street Could Talk

Consider the different kinds of music that appear in the novel. How does this music contribute to Baldwin’s representation of African American culture, the setting, and the characterization?

Discuss the role of Black spirituality in the lives of the characters. Why does Tish believe that walking into the Tombs is “just like walking into church” (23)?

Discuss the significance of Black art to the characters. How does Fonny’s practice of art allow him to survive?

Discuss the role of the criminal justice/legal system on the lives of the characters. What point is Baldwin making about these systems, based on what happens to the central characters when they encounter this system?

Discuss the ending of the novel. Is it a happy ending or a tragic one? Use details from the novel to support your interpretation.

Harlem is an important symbol for African American identity and culture in the 20th century. Research the history of Harlem from the 1920s on, then discuss what Baldwin’s representation of Harlem in the novel tells us about the state of African America during the late 1960s to early 1970s.

Research the Black Arts Movement. What were its aims, and what role did its proponents envision for the Black artist? How does the novel reflect or depart from the aesthetic of the Black Arts Movement?

Consider the title of the novel, If Beale Street Could Talk. Research what Beale Street is, then discuss how the novel gives voice to experiences one would associate with Beale Street.